ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Election Commission (ECP) has refused to provide the necessary data on election expenditures and other financial issues to a Senate committee, citing its independence as a legal basis for not falling under the standing committee’s jurisdiction.
A thorough briefing by ECP secretary Omar Hamid Khan on the total expenses incurred by the commission for its constitutional responsibilities, member and employee salaries and travel expenses, and other ancillary expenditures made by the commission during the last financial year was included in the agenda for the Senate’s standing committee on parliamentary affairs meeting on Tuesday.
The panel also requested information on the costs expended during the general elections on February 8th, broken down by province, the number of officers employed by the commission, their current positions and titles, the base pay scale, their qualifications, and their place of residence. Omar Hamid notified the parliamentary affairs secretary that the Senate committee’s notification dated August 19 had been brought before the commission for review and possible order.
The matter was discussed, and the commission while adhering to the principles of openness and responsibility was not required to furnish the Senate committee with the necessary data, save for aiding in legislative matters concerning election laws and constitutional provisions, by its designated mandate under the regulations, the ECP secretary stated in his correspondence to the parliamentary affairs secretary.
Mr. Khan informed the government that the Senate committee has the authority to look into a ministry’s or its affiliated public organizations’ spending, management, and policies, among other things. He clarified, however, that the ECP, which was established by Article 218(2), carries out its responsibilities as an autonomous entity. In contrast to government ministries/divisions and the public bodies that are affiliated with them, he stated that the ECP did not represent any province or the federal government.
He said that the Senate standing committee on parliamentary issues had no jurisdiction over the ECP since it was not a member of any ministry or division body. Furthermore, the letter said that administrative expenses, including ECP compensation, were “charged” against the Federal Consolidated Fund by Article 81. As a result, it said, the ECP budget was not approved by the NA to be included in the yearly budget statement as required by Article 82(1).
Meeting of a Senate panel
PTI senator and standing committee chairman Humayun Mohmand referred to the ECP letter, stating that the organization maintained it was not accountable to the legislature that had established the commission through law. They claim they have no accountability to you. The chairman of the committee declared, “We can call Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner.”
The parliamentary affairs secretary believed that ECP’s legislative matters fell under the purview of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. Senator Mohsin Aziz of the PTI stated that the letter ought to be dismissed, citing the commission’s attendance at the Public Accounts Committee hearing.
But once more, the parliamentary affairs secretary suggested that the Senate chairman be consulted and asked for his advice on the situation. “On this, I shall move the Privileges Committee. The senator from PTI said, “This is a mockery of the Senate.”
