Both the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) voiced serious concerns about the electoral process and the conduct of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja on Tuesday.
In separate news release, the legal bodies called for a level playing field and equal opportunities for all stakeholders in the upcoming polls.
SCBA President Shahzad Shaukat and Secretary Syed Ali Imran expressed deep reservations about “mounting discrepancies in election procedures, delimitations, and seat allocation”, said a news statement which highlighted serious questions regarding the transparency of elections under the current CEC, raising doubts about the fairness and impartiality of the electoral process.
The SCBA asserted the importance of timely elections as a cornerstone of the democratic process but cautioned against mere adherence to timelines without addressing grievances, emphasizing that failure to rectify discrepancies earlier had negatively impacted the country.
The association called for effective measures to address issues and safeguard both the democratic process and national resources.
In a separate statement, the PBC raised alarms about the conduct of the CEC, emphasizing growing perceptions that elections might not be conducted freely and fairly under his leadership.
They called attention to discrepancies in seat allocation, urging the Supreme Court of Pakistan to intervene and address the concerns instead of endorsing every act of the CEC.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected claims by the PBC regarding additional seat allocations in the CEC’s hometown.
In a press release, the ECP clarified that the CEC’s native constituency was NA-82 in Sargodha district, and no extra seat had been allocated there. The ECP asserted its independence, stating it would not be pressurized or blackmailed by any individual or group.
However, the PBC announced plans to convene an all-Pakistan representative convention in consultation with the SCBA to formulate a line of action.
Their objective is to ensure free, fair, and transparent general elections, expressing doubts about achieving this goal under the current CEC.
