ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the federal government to appoint members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) before the next date of hearing i.e. July 28. “We will not allow hampering the system by such acts of delay,” Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali observed while issuing the order after the first hearing of a suo motu case relating to non-functioning ECP and vacant offices of its members. On Wednesday, the top court took cognisance of the non-functioning ECP through a suo motu notice and directed the attorney general for Pakistan to submit government’s reply about the delay in appointment of ECP members. Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana appeared before a two-member bench when it took up the suo motu case on Thursday. He informed the court that the ECP had been dysfunctional since June 12 this year. After passage of the 22nd Amendment to the constitution, he said, it was the duty of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition to nominate ECP members with consensus within 45 days of retirement of previous members. He said the appointment of ECP members was delayed because the prime minister was out of the country for his medical treatment. The chief justice observed that scope of the government had been extended after passage of the 22nd Amendment. “We are not concerned whether the prime minister is out of country or consultation is under way; the constitution should be implemented,” the chief justice said. He observed that same policy was being followed in every institution. He said that consultations on new members of the ECP should have been done before retirement of the members of the commission. He said it was a matter of concern for the court if a constitutional institution stops functioning. He directed the government to ensure appointment of ECP members within the stipulated period in accordance with the law. Under the law, the timeframe for appointment of ECP members is 45 days after retirement of members and this 45-day deadline is going to expire on July 27. ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad appeared before the court in a case filed by the Workers Party Pakistan. The Workers Party Pakistan and six other people have moved the court for electoral reforms. The ECP secretary submitted a preliminary report stating that a meeting was held in May at the ECP offices that was attended by the counsel for the petitioners. He informed the court that participants in the meeting gave the proposal that no candidate should be allowed to transport voters to polling stations. He said the meeting participants were of the view that a ban should be imposed on banners, wall-chalking and hoardings during the election campaign. Fateh Muhammad said it was proposed at the meeting that only corner meetings and use of megaphones should be allowed during the election campaign. He said that a ban on the use of electronic media during the election campaign was also under consideration. He said that a candidate would only be allowed to run his campaign through ads on the state-run TV channel. He said the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) would make sure that all those interested in election campaign through the electronic media get equal time.