MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Azad Kashmir High Court on Tuesday accepted the writ petition seeking the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AJK.
In his order, Justice Sardar Ejaz Khan directed the Prime Minister Anwarul Haq to immediately send a panel for the appointment of CEC after consulting with the opposition leader.
The decision came after a writ petition filed by PML-N leader Chaudhry Ijaz Khatana, who argued that the non-appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner is a constitutional deviation.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Raja Sajjad Advocate appeared before the court for the petitioner.
The petitioner prayed the court to direct “AJK PM to finalize the nominees for appointment as CEC after consultation with the Leader of Opposition and send the penal to the AJK Council for issuance of advice for the appointment of CEC.”
The petition also sought the court to order AJK Secretary LG&RD and Secretary Election Commission to conduct and organize the byelections for the seats of Local Bodies.
“The instant writ petition is accepted and the respondents, jointly and severally, are hereby directed to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner & Member under the command of the Constitution,” the order stated.
Justice Ejaz remarked that no constitutional body can be suspended or left incomplete, stressing that a transparent electoral process in the state must be guaranteed.
The Chief Election Commissioner’s role is crucial in ensuring free and fair elections, and the court emphasized that constitutional posts cannot remain vacant.
