Election fraud: ECP inquiry committee to meet today to probe ex-commissioner's allegation
Pakistan
ECP Senior Member Nisar Durrani will preside over the meeting which will decide ToRs
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The first meeting of the inquiry committee of the Election Commission (ECP) will be held today (Sunday) to investigate the allegations of former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha.
ECP Senior Member Nisar Durrani will preside over the meeting. The committee will decide terms of reference (ToRs) in its plenary session.
The committee will record the statements of the DROs and ROs and submit its report to the ECP within three days. After submission of the report, a decision will be taken regarding legal proceedings against the commissioner for contempt of ECP.
On the other hand, Rawalpindi acting commissioner Saif Anwar and the DROs have rejected the allegations of the former commissioner.
He told a press conference that the commissioner has no role except as a coordinating officer.
Meanwhile, DROs demanded that an independent inquiry should be conducted into the allegations as they conducted elections in a transparent manner. They said there was no pressure on them and elections were held without any influence and no irregularity was found.
Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi also took notice of the allegations and ordered formation of a high level inquiry committee.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa also rejected the allegations and said that it was a right to level accusations, but the accuser should also give evidence.
He said he could not understand why the commissioner levelled allegations against him. The apex court has nothing to do with election. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to conduct elections, he added.
It may be recalled that the former commissioner had admitted on Saturday in a press conference that general elections were rigged.
Also read: ECP forms probe body following Rawalpindi commissioner's rigging 'confession'
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday constituted a high-level committee to probe the allegations levelled by the Rawalpindi commissioner regarding electoral rigging in his division.