ISLAMABAD (PEN) : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued pre-admission notices to the federal government, the Prime Minister, and the President regarding the delay in the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Legal Challenge Filed by Opposition Leaders
The notices came in response to a petition filed by Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shibli Faraz. The petition challenged the continued service of the incumbent CEC and ECP members, whose tenures have expired.
Violation of Constitutional Provisions
During the hearing, Advocate Sameer Khosa, representing the petitioners, argued that the constitutional positions of the CEC and ECP members were being held beyond their term limits, violating the legal provisions established by the Constitution.
The IHC, under Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, sought to know whether the appointment process for the new CEC and ECP members had been initiated. Senior lawyer Latif Khosa responded that no such process had commenced yet, stressing the necessity of forming a parliamentary committee to initiate the appointments.
Notices Issued to Key Officials
In response to these concerns, the IHC issued notices not only to the federal government, the Prime Minister (via his Principal Secretary), and the President (via the Secretary) but also to the incumbent CEC and the ECP members.
Case Adjourned
The hearing of the case was adjourned until April 29, 2025, with the court requesting responses from the concerned parties before that date. The court’s intervention highlights the ongoing concerns regarding the vacant posts and the delay in the electoral process.
