ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has been incomplete since retirement of its two members on January 26.
Under the constitution, the ECP comprises a chief election commissioner and four members, one from each province. The vacant seat of a member of the election commission to be filled within a period of 45 days.
The two members of the election commission from Sindh and Balochistan were retired on Jan 26, however, the process to appoint the new members yet to be completed, according to sources.
ECP had written a letter to federal government to allocate new representatives till March 13. It has been told that appointments should be made from Sindh and Balochistan within 45 days of the retirements.
The appointment of the two members will be decided with the consultation of the government and the opposition.
The appointment of ECP members under the constitution proposed by the prime minister and the opposition leader in the National Assembly after consultation. In case of difference of opinion, they would propose three names each for members from both the provinces and a decision to be taken by the parliamentary committee on appointment of chief election commissioner and ECP members.
The matter of the appointment of the ECP members was handed over to a parliamentary committee. But a parliamentary committee of 12 members constituted by the Speaker has yet to report progress over the matter.