Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry presides over a meeting of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee at the Supreme Court Building in Islamabad on Saturday. – Photo by PPI

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC), under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday, approved a request made by the ECP of incorporating judiciary in the process of upcoming general elections, DawnNews reported.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had requested the Supreme Court for supervising the forthcoming elections. However, the apex court had sought an explanation from the ECP before arriving at a final decision in the matter.

According to the appeal, the judicial officials were to perform duties of district returning officers during the electoral process.

The secretary ECP, during the meeting today, had assured fulfillment of all reservations regarding the issue, upon which the committee directed to shape up the legal authority of judicial officials as returning officers during the elections.

Speaking at the meeting, the chief justice also said that transparent elections were a requirement of the constitution.

He said that elections should take place according to the law and with complete honesty because the ECP was granted special powers by the constitution.

Chief Justice Iftikhar also said that the judiciary had gained its freedom after much struggle and had been successful in restoring the public’s trust in them.

The secretaries of ECP and law, as well as chief justices of all five high courts and federal shariah court attended the meeting.

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