Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (r) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim said that the parliament had the power to extend the tenure of the government in emergency by one year, and that the commission cannot interfere in the legislature’s powers.
In an interview on Sunday, the CEC said the commission could seek help from the army and judiciary for fair, free and transparent elections. He said that the main concern during elections would be to maintain law and order and the commission would do its best in this regard.
About taking fresh oath from lawmakers on the dual nationality issue, he warned that the commission would take the next step if the parliament did not administer new oaths to its members. He explained that any decision taken would be in line with the constitution and the Supreme Court’s instructions. Ibrahim said that a meeting of the commission would be held on Tuesday to devise a strategy against dual nationality holders.
He said he had not been offered the post of care taker prime minister. He also said that the ECP had no role in forming a caretaker government, and this task would be accomplished by the government and the opposition jointly. He hoped that the government and the opposition would together find a suitable person for the office of caretaker prime minister.
Ebrahim said that the ECP was ready to hold elections any time but did not have the power to decide when they would be held.
Parliament can extend govt’s tenure by another year in emergency: CEC
