ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday asserted that the only purpose for amendments in Elections Act 2017 was to hold transparent polls across the country, ARY News reported.
Talking to journalists, the law minister stated that they were committed to hold free and fair general elections as several amendments were being carried out in Elections Act 2013.
“There are many minor flaws in the Election Act,” he said, adding that a parliamentary committee was reviewing the proposal of Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen), Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development (Pildat) and different political parties.
Meanwhile, Azam Nazeer Tarar said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and also briefed the committee in this regard. He vowed to make public the recommendations of the parliamentary body.
He also regretted over non-participation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ali Zafar – who is also the member of parliamentary committee, saying that electoral reforms are a national service and Ali Zafar should attend the meeting.
Earlier in June, Acting President Sadiq Sanjrani – who assumed the role when President Arif Alvi went on Haj – approved the Elections Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aimed at reducing the period of disqualification of lawmakers to five years.
According to the amendment, maximum disqualification period of a lawmaker will be considered for 5 years where the term of the punishment is not specified in the constitution.
According to Article 62-1F, the disqualification of a lawmaker will be for five years, and the individual will be eligible to contest elections and become a member of the Parliament or provincial assemblies after completion of the term, the amendment in the Election Act suggests.
The Election Act Amendment Bill also empowered the Election Commission of Pakistan to announce the schedule for general elections. The electoral body will also be entitled to make any change in it.
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