Islamabad, Sep 13 (IANS): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) told the Islamabad High Court that an order issued by President Arif Alvi for the appointment of two ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan was in violation of the Constitution.
In response to a petition filed by advocate Jahangir Khan Jadoon in the IHC against the appointment of two ECP members, the Commission on Thursday argued that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) had declined to administer the oath because they had been appointed by Alvi without following the necessary procedure laid down in the Constitution, Dawn news reported.
The petition pointed out that due to the "grave illegality, the CEC has refused to administer oath" to the newly appointed members.
According to the ECP, the President had not only violated the Constitution but also bypassed the parliamentary committee while making these appointments.
President Alvi had on August 22 appointed Khalid Mehmood Siddiqui from Sindh and Munir Ahmed Kakar from Balochistan.
The CEC refused to administer the oath to both members-designate and wrote a letter to the Law Ministry, observing that the appointment was not in accordance with the Constitution.
He made it clear that he would not administer the oath to the "unconstitutionally" appointed members.