Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has said the role of district returning officers (DROs), returning officers (ROs) and assistant returning officers (AROs) was important for conducting elections in a free and fair manner.
The conduct of free and fair election spoke highly of the sagacity and wisdom of these officials, he added.
The CJP was addressing these officials from Sukkur and Larkana divisions on Saturday.
He said that the people had the right to choose their representatives but during scrutiny it should be ensured that the candidate is a right one as desired by the constitution.
“The judicial officers have been chosen for this task of national importance, which will prove a paradigm shift in shaping the destiny of our country,” he said.
The CJP said the Supreme Court in a case regarding initiation of action against those involved in corrupt practice of submitting fake degrees during the election 2008, observed, “In terms of Article 218 (3) of the constitution, where it is the duty of the commission to organise and conduct free and fair elections at the same time the voter is also required to have full knowledge about the antecedents, etc of the candidate, in whose favour, he contemplates to vote in the forthcoming elections.”
He told the judicial officers that the induction of the judiciary in the election process meant that they would not be influenced by any political party or politician.
The CJP told the judicial officers that people had immense expectations from them. He advised the judicial officers to be mindful of the fact that voters had the right to access to information with reference to the credential of a candidate he was going to vote for.
Therefore, he said, it was need of the hour for all stakeholders to join hands with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for conducting free and fair elections.
He said the ECP needed institutional support and strength for performance of its constitutional duty as such the judicial officers were deployed in the election process in the national interest.
He added that in view of the present law and order situation, there was a dire need to join hands with the ECP so that it may be able to give us the representatives, which will turn the fate of this nation. If we did not participate to the best of our abilities then history would never forgive us, he added.
He said that it is obligatory for the ECP under Article 218 of the constitution to organise and conduct the elections and to make necessary arrangements to hold polls honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law.
