LAHORE, July 12: Former federal minister Begum Abida Husain called upon the chief election commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday to clarify whether legislators elected on tickets of various parties or ministers were eligible to contest the local polls without resigning their seats. In a statement, she said there was a confusion on the subject, and the CEC should clarify the position for the benefit of the electors as well as the candidates.

She said ostensibly the legislators or ministers wanting to contest the local elections would be filing wrong affidavits saying that they were not affiliated to any political party. And in case they made a misstatement only to come into the field, they would be violating the Constitution.

A former ambassador, who is among the top leaders of the Independent Democratic Group, was of the view that the ruling party president, Shujaat Husain, should hold talks with all parties to discuss the matter.

Shujaat had said recently that although the local elections were being held on a non-party basis, political leaders were eligible to contest.

Begum Abida said Shujaat’s meeting with political leaders would enable the political parties to adopt a uniform policy about the local elections.