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SC’s staying by-polls unconstitutional: EC
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Election Commission, Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan, Monday said, though staying the set by-polls was a violation of the Constitution, but EC would honour Supreme Court's order, Geo News reported.Addressing a press conference here, he said that Supreme Court of Pakistan did not hear us out on the issue of by-elections.
Upcoming elections would be held under the old constituencies, added secretary EC.
He said that NADRA would issue final voters’ lists no earlier than May 25, 2012.
He also said that Supreme Court in its ruling had said that Election Commission was not a rubberstamp.
An impression was created that rolls were being prepared on the behest of some other entity, said Khan replying to a query.
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Justice Retired Hamid Ali Mirza also termed the Supreme Court’s move to stay the scheduled by-elections in the country as ‘against the constitution of Pakistan’.
Addressing a consultative meeting of political parties and stakeholders regarding preparation of voters’ lists and electoral reforms here Justice Mirza criticized SC for staying the by-elections in the country.
He opined that the SC move was ‘violation of the constitution’, arguing that the SC did not hear Election Commission of Pakistan before staying the by-elections. He said that ECP was constitutionally bound to hold bye-elections within 60 days if a seat fell vacant.
Courtesy www.geo.tv