ISLAMABAD: The proposal of Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms has failed in maintaining a meaningful consultation with all stakeholders prior to present bill in National Assembly.
This was stated by Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, Chairman of National Democratic Foundation (NDF) and Former Federal Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan while concluding the meeting of NDF’s Core Research Group, here on Wednesday.
Kanwar Dilshad added and maintained that NDF’s Core Research Group has noticed the news published on print media dated 18th May 2016 highlighting the provisions being proposed as a new law drafted by Parliamentary Committee on electoral reforms. The NDF experts are of view that the proposed upper age limits (as mentioned in news for both CEC and ECP
Members) are not appropriate as per legal practice and standards in Commonwealth Countries. The leading Commonwealth countries have a set trend of 60 years for both posts in order to maintain more productive system.
It was decided further that a letter will be sent to honorable Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, with a copy to opposition leaders and concerned stakeholders, requesting him to open and allow meaningful deliberations on the bill in the Assembly prior to conclude upper age limit in accordance with practice, standards and democratic norms being maintained by leading Commonwealth Countries.