Commission to discuss options against federal ministers today

ISLAMABAD   -  The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is likely to initiate legal action against Fawad Chaudhry and Azzam Swati as both the Federal Ministers failed to respond to the notices issued to them by the ECP.
Following the allegations of ministers, ECP had issued notices to both the ministers and sought evidence for their allegations over ECP and Chief Election Commissioner. A senior official of ECP on condition of anonymity told The Nation that ECP had given both the federal ministers seven days to respond to notices of the Commission with evidence regarding their allegations over ECP and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Sikandar Sultan. The official stated that ECP in a very important meeting going to be held today (Tuesday) will discuss various options against the federal ministers who levelled allegations against ECP and CEC and also failed to give proofs of their allegations.
The ECP official further said that there were some people in the power corridors, who wanted to make the election body controversial, saying that ECP was a independent body and will never bow down to any pressure. He said that the government wanted to force ECP to use Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in the upcoming general elections, adding that ECP had already shown its reservations over EVM and has frequently highlighted the loopholes in the system which has annoyed the government. It must be noted that earlier this month, Federal Minister Railways Azam Khan Swati in a meeting of the Senate standing committee had accused ECP of taking bribes. He had said that such institutions should be set on fire. On the same that Federal Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry while criticising ECP and CEC had tweeted that respect for ECP apart, if one did not like talking about the individual’s role then he/she should maintain a non-political role.
Recently, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in a press conference had alleged that the ECP had become the headquarters for opposition parties, saying that CEC was acting as a mouthpiece of opposition.