Pak Election Commission not under federal government: EC Secretary

Islamabad, Mar.2 (ANI) : Pakistan Election Commission (EC) Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan has described the commission as an 'autonomous' body, and added that it does not works under the federal government.

In a statement, The News quoted as saying that even President Asif Ali Zardari has no authority to remove the Chief Election Commissioner.

The secretary said the Election Commission is discharging its duties as per the law of the land and the Constitution. It is mandatory under Article 220 of the Constitution that the federal government and the provinces cooperate with the commission.

Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Hamid Ali Mirza dismissed an application challenging Zardari's eligibility to contest the presidential election in the light of the Supreme Court's detailed verdict on the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

"In the circumstances, as no prima facie case has been made out by the petitioner his petition, being not maintainable, is dismissed," Mirza said.

His order said that the petitioner had failed to produce any finding by a competent court of law to prove Zardari was a convict.

He also dismissed three other applications filed by Waheed Ahmed Kamal, Muhammad Ashfaq Chaudhry and Syed Mahmood Ali seeking action against Zardari.

"Since approval for the appeal was subject to the acceptance of the main reference, which had been dismissed for want of merit and jurisdiction, the applications stood infructuous, and were, herefore, being disposed of," Mirza said. (ANI)