ISLAMABAD: Granting a request from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the judiciary has decided to supervise general elections scheduled for July.
The high courts have given the ECP some 1,000 names of district court judges from across the country for appointments as returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs). Commission officials said notification of ROs and DROs will be issued on May 7.
In the National Judicial Policy issued in 2009, the judiciary decided not to engage judges in the election process to avoid unnecessary controversies and allegations of rigging.
But following requests from political parties and the then-chief election commissioner, the judiciary allowed judges to act as ROs and DROs in the 2013 general elections.
But members of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf alleged massive rigging and blamed the then-chief justice. A judicial commission said there was no evidence to support the allegations.
The high courts have given the ECP some 1,000 names of district court judges from across the country for appointments as returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs). Commission officials said notification of ROs and DROs will be issued on May 7.
In the National Judicial Policy issued in 2009, the judiciary decided not to engage judges in the election process to avoid unnecessary controversies and allegations of rigging.
But following requests from political parties and the then-chief election commissioner, the judiciary allowed judges to act as ROs and DROs in the 2013 general elections.
But members of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf alleged massive rigging and blamed the then-chief justice. A judicial commission said there was no evidence to support the allegations.
