Sikandar Sultan Raja, the current Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of Pakistan, will retire in the next two and a half months. The recently retired Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, is the leading candidate to replace him in this important constitutional role.
According to media reports, the federal government has already begun the process of selecting a new CEC following Raja’s retirement, with Justice Isa’s name topping the list of potential candidates.
Sources suggest that most government officials favor Justice Isa for the post, but the final decision will be made after PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif returns from abroad.
Justice Qazi Faiz Isa retired from his position as Chief Justice on October 25.
How is the CEC Appointed?
The President of Pakistan appoints the Chief Election Commissioner and four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan based on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister proposes a candidate for the position, but before making the appointment, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly must be consulted. Once the proposal is made, the President of Pakistan appoints the CEC based on this consultation.
If the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition cannot agree on a candidate, the matter is sent to a parliamentary committee consisting of both government and opposition members. This committee recommends a candidate for CEC. If the committee fails to reach a decision within a certain time frame, the President can make the final appointment.
