News
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Changes in nomination papers : ECP hopeful of positive reply from presidentISLAMABAD: After some wrangling last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) expressed hope on Monday that it would receive a positive reply from President Asif Ali Zardari over a draft sent to him for approval of changes in nomination papers of election candidates.
The commission had earlier set March 11 as the deadline for the president to approve the changes sent by the Law Ministry but extended this deadline till March 12, as the president is out of the country.
ECP Additional Secretary Afzal Khan told the media in Islamabad that the election commission would strengthen the democratic institutions of the country by taking concrete steps. “The entire country will bear fruits of these steps.”
The additional secretary added that the ECP had all the rights and would strictly follow the given election schedule.
He also requested the media to refrain from sensationalising news and to send ‘serious and senior’ people to cover the elections. “They should take it as a national responsibility.” Earlier, the changes in the nomination forms suggested by the ECP were rejected by the Law Ministry. Barring a couple of cosmetic changes, the ministry had rejected all the amendments outright, including those seeking the financial details and criminal history of the aspiring candidates.
The ECP, however, had put its foot down, defending the proposed changes as constitutional and told the ministry to refer the matter to the president, who is the final authority.
Meanwhile, the Law Ministry has sent the document of nomination papers for final approval to Zardari.
According to media reports, the ECP had directed the Law Ministry to send the nomination papers after clarifying reservations to Zardari, at the earliest. It may be noted that Zardari is on a foreign tour, which implies that the Law Ministry deliberately deferred sending nomination papers to him.
Dilating on legality, the commission had earlier stated that the legal basis for this is that (i) it is the mandate of the ECP to conduct free, fair and transparent elections under Article 218 of the Constitution; (ii) the approval of the president under Section 107 of ROPA is merely a formality; and (iii) the Supreme Court of Pakistan has stated in the Worker’s Party case that the ECP ‘is empowered and independent to do all that is necessary to fulfil its constitutional mandate and instruct that it do so’. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk