ISLAMABAD: An official of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) performing duties as district election commissioner in Faisalabad has decided to move the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) for the removal of ECP chief Sikandar Sultan Raja over “abuse of administrative authority”.

Incensed over the rule of ‘outsiders’ in the Election Commission and controversial promotions, DEC Irfan Kausar also decided to challenge the appointments of key ECP officers, including its secretary Omar Hamid Khan. In multiple letters written to the ECP secretary, the official expressed his intention to follow in the footsteps of another ECP officer, Adnan Bashir, and file a reference against the ECP chief in the SJC. Mr Bashir, a few months ago, had moved the judicial council against his boss.

Grounds for CEC’s removal

The letter sent to the secretary through the provincial election commissioner said the reference against the CEC will include the alleged use of undue influence for the furtherance of pecuniary interests in real estate and private businesses, and getting lucrative postings for the extended family of bureaucrats. Other accusations include spending of public funds during a financial crunch, failure to comply with constitutional commands, abuse of administrative authority, and tarnishing the administrative fabric of the ECP to influence general elections.

The official also sought a statement of assets of CEC Raja and his dependents, minutes of Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) meetings, and allocations made to the Public Works Department in the financial year 2022-23. A copy of service rules along with amendments, and the seniority list of the ECP officers were also demanded.

Alleges ‘organisational structure’ is at mercy of Sikandar Sultan Raja in absence of service rules

In separate letters to the ECP secretary, he declared his intention to challenge the appointments of Secretary Omar Hamid Khan (retired federal secretary), Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal Hussain (retired ECP officer), Additional Secretary (HR) Khalid Siddique (a retired civil servant), noting that these appointments had been made unlawfully.

The ECP official also wrote a letter addressed to President Arif Alvi, the National Assembly speaker, the Senate chairman, and members of parliament to invite their attention towards alleged illegal appointments in the ECP made in the absence of service rules.

The letter added that the ECP chief has the “sole administrative authority without the oversight of the commission in the absence of the service rules”.

“Now the ECP’s organisational structure is at the mercy of the commissioner who has appointed his retired colleagues and class fellows to senior administrative posts. Mid-career ECP cadre officers are being promoted arbitrarily,” the letter said, seeking the intervention of parliament and the president.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2023