JUSTICE Rana Bhagwandas declined to become the Chief Election Commissioner because the election commission, according to him, is not autonomous and independent.

Well done, sir. I salute you for your courage of conviction. Your act is still more laudable as you were the only consensual candidate acceptable to all major political parties.

At the same time, one thing that bothers me a great deal is how come some of the justices subject themselves to the judgemental remarks of the politicians of being acceptable to some or not acceptable to others. Does such a ‘non-acceptance’ not amount to raising questions on the character and impartiality of a justice?

How dare the politicians do such a horrendous thing? The justices are, therefore, requested that as soon as a justice comes to know of his name being discussed publicly by the politicians, he should immediately inform them to stop it and that he would not be available for the position.

The politicians must decide among themselves secretly — like the election of the Pope at Vatican — and after having arrived at complete consensus approach the ‘elected’ justice to oblige them by accepting to become the Chief Election Commissioner.

RJ

Rawalpindi

(2)

THIS refers to the letter ‘CEC role model’ (Nov 9). The writer is right in declaring Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid as the Chief Election Commissioner role model.

But all students of current affairs of Pakistan know that this precisely was his disqualification for the job. I wonder if people know Justice Nasir is the son of the late Mr Zahid Hussain, the first governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.

Iqbal Ahmad Khan

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2015

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