ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the government to appoint a permanent Chief Election Commissioner within two weeks' time, warning that it would recall its judge temporarily serving on the post if the appointment is not made by Oct 28.

The order was passed by a three-member-bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk during a hearing of the case regarding holding of local bodies' elections.

During the hearing, the court said it was been affected since one of its judges was performing constitutional duties in addition to his designated role.

The court also asked Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt as to when the government would appoint a permanent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and asked for a time frame in this regard.

The attorney general sought a 30-day period from the court for the appointment but the court only granted time until October 28.

The chief justice giving his remarks said that the court would recall its judge – acting CEC Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali –if the government fails to make the permanent appointment within the stipulated time.

During the hearing, the bench also rejected the reply of the Sindh government regarding delimitation of constituencies in the province.

The court directed the provincial government to present a bill about delimitation of constituencies by Thursday.

It said that the Sindh chief minister will be summoned if the provincial government fails to bring legislation on delimitation of constituencies by the given time.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government in its reply to the Supreme Court over the holding of local bodies’ elections said that legislation from the federal government was required first to authorise the election commission to delimit new constituencies in the province.