ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has re-recruited the services of officers from the judiciary to act as District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) for the upcoming general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Sources aware of the series of meetings held in ECP and presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja told JEE News on Monday that the Lahore High Court (LHC) will soon take a decision in this regard. And letters will be written to Peshawar. High Court (PHC). Compared to other officials, who are entrusted with the duties of District Returning Offices and Returning Officers, history bears witness that complaints regarding the conduct of the election process are few and far between. Therefore, the Election Commission is seeking cooperation from the judiciary on this count. He pointed out that the decision to write letters to two high provincial courts has been taken in the light of the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the case of delay in general elections.
The operative part of the decision states: “For an election to an Assembly, the Commission shall appoint, in the prescribed manner, one District Returning Officer from among its officers for each district or particular area, subject to availability. Government or Provincial Government. by selection from a list of officers provided by; or in consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned in the subordinate judiciary,” section 50 states.
Earlier, after the dissolution of the Punjab and KP assemblies, the ECP had written to the provincial high courts, urging them to release judicial officers for election-related duties. However, the Registrar of the LHC had written to the ECP disqualifying members of the subordinate judiciary from leaving for election duty. The response of Peshawar High Court was still awaited.
Sources in the ECP said that the recent Supreme Court judgment has given new hope to the commission, which was not comfortable for government officials, as they could be easily influenced by the governments concerned. In this regard, he referred to a large number of complaints, which surfaced during the recent local elections in Sindh and Daska by-elections, when presiding officers mysteriously disappeared to manipulate election results.
In Karachi also, some presiding officers expressed ignorance of their signatures on the result form during the hearing in the Election Commission. Jamaat-e-Islami had filed petitions against six union councils, alleging irregularities in them.
Sources also pointed out that the appointment of officers by the district administration was also facing difficulties due to shortage of officers, forcing the Election Commission to appoint ‘junior level officers’ for election duties. , most of whom have a political background and hence appointment of these officers may also be difficult. Somehow so easily influenced. It has also been learned that the announcement of the upcoming general election schedule in Punjab is expected on Tuesday (today). The President has already fixed April 30 (Sunday) as the date for polling.
