The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court to become a party in a case relating to the transfer of Lahore CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, stating that without reshuffling of “partisan officers”, free and fair elections will not be possible.
“It is considered the view of the commission that without reshuffling of such partisan officers, free and fair elections shall not be possible in line with Article 218…and Section 230 of the Elections Act 2017 (functions of the caretaker government),” said a five-page application which was filed before the apex court on behalf of the ECP.
“The incumbent officer has inclinations towards a particular political party [PTI]…the commission has reasons to believe that he will not be able to fulfil its constitutional duties if the officer remains the head of the [Lahore] division during the conduct of the provincial assembly elections in Lahore,” the application emphasised.
This is the same case in which the Supreme Court in its ruling on Feb 17 suspended the transfer of CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar.
