Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited the opposition leader for consultations on appointing the next chief election commissioner (CEC), months after the incumbent’s term expired in January, it emerged on Wednesday.

The constitutional deadline for the appointment of a new chief election commis­sioner and two members of the Election Com­mission of Pakistan (ECP) exp­ired on March 12, with no action from the government.

The 26th Amendment allowed the CEC and the members to continue till their successors come in. As per Article 215(4) of the Constitution, the appointment of the CEC and members must be completed within 45 days.

In a letter dated May 16 and addressed to Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub — seen by Dawn.com — the prime minister noted that the term of the incumbent CEC, Sikandar Sultan Raja, expired on January 27 this year, adding that he was holding office in accordance with the second proviso to clause 1 of Article 215 of the Constitution (term of office of the Commissioner [and members]).

“In term of clause (2A) of Article 213 and sub-clause (b) of clause (2) of Article 218 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, three names each for the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and two Members (i.e. for Sindh and Balochistan) are to be forwarded to the Parliamentary Committee for hearing and confirmation of any one person against each position,” the letter read.

“In view of the aforesaid, you are invited for a meeting for consultation, in terms of clause (2A) of Article 213 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, in order to finalize three names each for appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Members from Sindh and Balochistan.”

No exact date for a meeting was given, nor were any names released about prospective CECs.

Disqualification reference

Separately, a hearing on the disqualification reference against Ayub was adjourned until July 1 as he was obligated to attend the upcoming federal budget session in parliament.

Last week, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Sadiq forwarded a reference seeking Ayub’s disqualification to the ECP.

The reference is based on an application filed by former MNA Babar Nawaz, who lost to Ayub in the 2024 general election in NA-18 (Haripur) by a margin of 82,000 votes.

A five-member committee chaired by the CEC presided over the hearing, with Ayub stating that he had yet to appoint counsel.

“The budget session will start soon and I am a member of the Finance Committee. The budget meeting will be held for two weeks,” he said, requesting time to attend the budget session and appoint a leader.

Sindh Election Commission member Nisar Durrani said that there is a 90-day time limit to act on the speaker’s reference. The commission granted Ayub’s request and adjourned the hearing until June 24.

In a separate case in which the opposition leader was accused of rigging by Babar Nawaz, the opposition leader’s lawyer sought time to submit a reply and arguments. The commission adjourned the hearing until July 1.

Speaking to reporters following the hearing, Ayub assailed the National Assembly for sending the reference “without using their brains”.

“The speaker did not consult me about this reference,” he said. “In the 2018 elections, I beat my opponent by 40,000 votes. He previously approached the Abbottabad High Court, but the case was dismissed.”