ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim has submitted his resignation to the President Asif Ali Zardari; his resignation came after huge criticism over recently conducted presidential election. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has confirmed his resignation.
According to media reports, the CEC rendered his resignation from the post and said he is no longer in a position to hold his post.
Moreover, Fakhruddin was displeased by the Supreme Court’s decision to change the presidential poll schedule and went to the extent of making an abortive attempt to set aside the verdict on the day he scrutinised the candidates’ nomination papers, media reported.
According to an official of the ECP, the CEC had written a note declaring the court’s decision an attack on the independence of the ECP. He wanted his fellow members to endorse the note and decide that the election would be held in accordance with the original schedule announced by the commission.
But the move was not supported by three (of the four) available members who were of the view that the ECP should have taken that stand during the hearing of Pakistan Musim League-Nawaz leader Raja Zafarul Haq’s petition seeking change in the election schedule.
An official said the time for scrutiny of the nomination papers was extended twice by the CEC in the hope that he would be able to persuade the members to support his point of view.
