- Deputy Director Muhammad Saeed and Establishment Section Assistant Director Muhammad Ramzan failed to timely deliver copy of ECP decision on tribunals’ period till Aug 31
According to a press release issued in the federal capital on Tuesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has suspended the services of two of its officers for three months on account of delaying the delivery of communiqué regarding ECP’s decision on election tribunals’ extension.
Explaining the case, the ECP’s press release says that on June 22, the commission decided to extend the period of election tribunals in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa up to August 31.
It was also decided that these tribunals may be asked to dispose of the pending 28 cases with them by August 31, enabling the commission to terminate their contracts by the stipulated date. In case there was still pendency, the concerned high courts would be approached to appoint serving judges of the high courts for disposal of pending petitions, the press release mentions.
“The above decision was received by the concerned section of ECP for implementation on June 23, 2015. Implementation of the above decision, however, could only take place on August 19, 2015 when the ADG (Legal) addressed the registrars of Lahore High Court, Sindh High Court and Peshawar High Court, asking them to place before the chief justices concerned, the decision of the commission for appointment of serving judges of the high courts for disposal of pending petitions in their jurisdiction as the contracts of the tribunals would be terminated by August 31,” the ECP said, adding that this delayed communication of the ECP’s decision made on June 22 created a “hue and cry in media and political circles, clubbing the termination of the contracts of the tribunals to some decisions”.
“This lapse on the part of some officials of ECP created a very bad taste in the Election Commission and necessitated strict disciplinary action under the E&D Rules against the officials responsible for this lapse.”
A preliminary enquiry conducted in this regard revealed that Deputy Director Muhammad Saeed and Establishment Section Assistant Director Muhammad Ramzan had failed to timely deliver the copy of the decision of the commission to the concerned quarters for implementation.
Therefore, the ECP has suspended the services of above two officers with immediate effect for a period of three months and has appointed director general (admn) as enquiry officer to complete the enquiry proceedings.
