Twenty-second Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan

The Twenty-second Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan, officially known as the Constitution (Twenty-second Amendment) Act, 2016, sets to amend the procedure for the appointment, qualifications and other prerequisites for the chief election commissioner (CEC) and four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Constitution (Twenty-second Amendment) Act, 2016
Parliament of Pakistan
CitationAct No. XXV of 2016
Territorial extentPakistan
Enacted byNational Assembly of Pakistan
Passed19 May 2016
Enacted bySenate of Pakistan
Passed2 June 2016
Assented to8 June 2016
Commenced8 June 2016
Legislative history
Bill introduced in the National Assembly of PakistanThe Constitution (Twenty-second Amendment) Bill, 2016
Bill citation22nd Amendment Bill
Introduced byZahid Hamid
Status: In force

Proposal and enactment

The Constitution (Twenty-second Amendment) Bill, 2016 was introduced in the National Assembly of Pakistan by Zahid Hamid, then Minister for Law and Justice. The full text of the Statement of Objects and Reasons appended to the bill is given below:

This Constitutional Amendment Bill seeks to alter eligibility criteria for appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Members of the Election Commission of Pakistan and to provide for other related matters. At present only Judges of Supreme Court or High Court are eligible for appointment as Chief Election Commissioner or Members, respectively. After amendment, in addition to retired Judges of the Supreme Court or High Court, retired senior bureaucrats and technocrats will also be eligible for appointment as Chief Election Commissioner or a member. In order to give representation to all Provinces, out of four Members, one from each Province shall be appointed. Maximum age for appointment as Chief Election Commissioner (68 years) and a Member (65 years) is also being fixed.

Another important change relates to continuity of the Commission, whereby instead of all four members retiring together, two of the members shall retire every two and a half years. For the first term, the Commission will draw a lot as to which two members shall retire after the first two and a half years.

Other amendments provide that delimitation of constituencies and preparation of electoral rolls for elections to local governments shall also be the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The Bill is designed to achieve the aforesaid objects.

— Zahid Hamid, "The Constitution (Twenty-second Amendment) Bill, 2016" (PDF).

The Bill was considered and passed unanimously by the National Assembly of Pakistan on 19 May 2016,[1][2][3] and the Senate of Pakistan on 2 June 2016.[4] The bill received assent from the then President Mamnoon Hussain on 8 June 2016, and came into force on the same day.[5] It was notified in The Gazette of Pakistan on 10 June 2016.[6]

References
  1. "NA unanimously passes 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill". Radio Pakistan. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  2. Anis, Muhammad (20 May 2016). "NA approves the 22nd Amendment Bill". The News International. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  3. Mohal, Shah Nawaz (19 May 2016). "NA amends constitution to empower ECP". Pakistan Today. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  4. Wasim, Amir (3 June 2016). "Senate passes 22nd constitution amendment bill". Dawn. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  5. "President approves 22nd Constitution Amendment". Dawn. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  6. "The Gazette of Pakistan" (PDF). Retrieved 27 June 2017.
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