July 11, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, July 10: The chief election commissioner, Justice Irshad Hasan Khan, on Wednesday said the sitting ministers desiring to contest forthcoming general elections should relinquish their offices or they be asked to resign well before the election day.

“The principle of neutrality and impartiality demands that incumbent ministers seeking to contest forthcoming elections should relinquish their offices or they be asked to resign by the president well before the election day,” the CEC said.

Asked to respond to the statement of federal law minister that incumbent ministers desiring to contest polls, were not required to resign from the Cabinet, the election commissioner said an incumbent minister contesting election would enjoy inherent advantages, which would not be fair to the opposing candidate.

The CEC, however, was not definite about those ministers who desired to contest elections on reserved seats for technocrats.

The CEC said the position of those cabinet ministers seeking elections against seats for technocrats was somewhat different as they would not be contesting directly and, prima facie, no canvassing was required by such candidates. The CEC said that this issue needed further consideration as the method of election for technocrats was being evolved for the first time.