Reconstituting the EC
Under this
law the President will form a search committee comprising an Appellate Division judge selected by the Chief Justice
The ruling party is reportedly mulling over a law to make the system of selecting the new Election Commission (EC) through a search committee official. According to party insiders, it is planning to enact a law to appoint election commissioners as stated in the constitution. Unquestionably a good move, however, it would have been even better if the timing of the plan would have come a year earlier before the latest EC was formed.
We have seen how during month-long talks with the President, most of the political parities too, had suggested to enact a law for reconstituting the EC. Anticipating the ECs tenure to end in February, the political parties could have collectively moved with their demand while giving enough time to the government for enacting a law in this regard. Had that materialised, disagreements regarding politically biased candidates alleged by opposition parties could have been surely settled in a much more peaceful manner.
Nevertheless, the ruling partys organising secretary has also buttressed the enactment of a future law to reconstitute the EC. It was learned that under this law the President will form a search committee comprising an Appellate Division judge selected by the Chief Justice, who will be the chief of the committee. The other members of the committee will be a High Court judge, the comptroller-and auditor-general, and the chairman of the Public Service Commission. Drafting of the new law is believed to be under process by the law ministry and once done, it will be sent to the Cabinet Division for its approval before being placed in the parliament.
This time the six-member search committee formed by the President also proposed for a similar law, and it is also good to see that their proposal was taken with due consideration.
Lastly, the recommendation the search committee members proposed envisions a dedicated, neutral and responsible EC very much the people demands. That said we all the more expect the new EC to prove its merit by holding all forms of elections ranging from all local to the national one. As an independent constitutional body, we expect the new EC to exercise all its legal authorities for holding free, fair and credible elections while the future law follows its course before turning real.
