Islamabad: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Umar Ayub on Wednesday decided not to consult Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the appointment of the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
The current CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja is retiring on January 26.
In a formal letter written to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Umar Ayub emphasized the urgency of the matter and said that the term of the current Chief Election Commissioner will end on January 26.
The opposition leader has demanded the immediate formation of a parliamentary committee to facilitate the process of appointing a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
According to the constitution, both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have to consult each other for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and the members. If there is no consensus between the two, the matter will be referred to the parliamentary committee.
The Speaker of the National Assembly will form a committee consisting of 12 members from both the government and the opposition to resolve the issue.
If still no agreement is reached, three nominees for each post will be sent to the committee. If the parliamentary committee fails to reach a consensus, the matter will be referred to the Supreme Court.
The appointment of the new CEC and members should be completed within 45 days, but in the interim, the existing CEC and members will continue with their duties.
Former Supreme Court judges, technocrats and bureaucrats below 68 years of age are eligible for the post of CEC. Similarly, former High Court judges, bureaucrats and technocrats below the age of 65 are eligible for appointment as members of the Election Commission.
