ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said Wednesday that names of three judges have been shortlisted for the post of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

Dar was speaking to media representatives outside the Parliament House in the federal capital along with Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah.

After the failure of the government and the opposition to reach a consensus on a new CEC, the three names shortlisted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, along with Ishaq Dar and Shah, will be forwarded to a parliamentary committee for the final decision.

“We succeeded in shortlisting three names including Justice (retd) Sardar Mohammad Raza, Justice (retd) Tariq Pervez and Justice (retd) Tanvir Ahmed Khan while a 12-member parliamentary committee will choose one name for the CEC post,” Shah said.

“We also consulted with leaders of all parliamentary parties and came to an agreement on three names, and I am hopeful that the parliamentary committee will succeed in finalising the name of the new CEC by Thursday evening,” Shah added.

Dar added that the issue pertaining to the appointment of a new CEC will be resolved before December 5 as per the directives of the Supreme Court.

The finance minister said that he will forward the names of the three judges to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq today.

A 12-member parliamentary committee, headed by Senator Rafiq Rajwana, has equal representation from the treasury and opposition benches, while under the rules, the nomination has to be endorsed by a two-third majority.

The 12 member committee comprises six senators and six MNA’s including Senator Rafique Rajwana, Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Muhammad Arshad Khan Leghari, Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Shazia Marri, Dr Farooq Sattar, Dr Darshan, Haji Muhammad Adeel, Islamuddin Shaikh, MNA Shehryar Afridi and Sardar Muhamamd Yaqoob Nasir.

While talking to Dawn, the parliamentary committee’s chairman Senator Rafique Rajwana said that as per the law, the committee would consider the list and develop a consensus on one name.

“If we fail to reach a consensus, then voting will take place and the new CEC will be appointed through a two-third majority,” he added.