• ECP officials asked to spell out measures against corrupt practices in Senate polls • AG suggests party heads be allowed to ask for traceable ballot after elections
ISLAMABAD: Amid the ongoing controversy over the sale and purchase of tickets and corrupt practices in the upcoming Senate elections, the Supreme Court on Monday called Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja to explain steps the election body is putting in place to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
“We direct the CEC and other members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to appear before the court on Tuesday and provide what scheme they have for holding the elections to guard against corrupt practices,” ordered Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed while heading a five-judge Supreme Court bench hearing a presidential reference on open ballot for Senate elections.
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February 10, 2021
ISLAMABAD: In a rare move, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on Federal Minister Faisal Vawda for repeatedly seeking adjournments in a disqualification case.
A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the case of disqualification of Faisal Vawda at the Election Commission Secretariat. The forum decided to summon the Karachi-based Vawda in person at the next hearing on Feb 24.
The ministerâs lawyer, Muhammad bin Mohsin, did not appear before the Election Commission bench during the hearing while the ECP imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on Vawda for repeatedly seeking adjournments of the case. The chief election commissioner had declared during the last hearing that no matter how big anyone was, the case would be decided on merit.
ECP decisions on LB polls likely on Tuesday
Sources say Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial governments refused to hold local bodies elections before August
ISLAMABAD:
A meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday remained undecided on holding local bodies elections in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Cantonment Boards because of the objections raised by the provincial governments on holding the polls before August.
Sources said that the commission would continue consultation on the proposals of the provincial governments in another meeting on Tuesday (today) after which an announcement of the local polls in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Cantonment Boards was expected.
The court had taken up a set of petitions mainly by the administrator Municipal Corporation Peshawar. Photo courtesy Supreme Court website/File
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court regretted on Thursday that unpopular governments were always hesitant and unwilling to hold local government (LG) elections in the country and asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to furnish a comprehensive reply within a week on holding the LG polls.
“Local bodies are political nurseries which help develop political leadership for the country,” observed Justice Qazi Faez Isa while heading a two-judge bench also consisting of Justice Maqbool Baqar.
The court had taken up a set of petitions mainly by the administrator Municipal Corporation Peshawar.