NA Passes ECP Members' Salary, Allowance, Perks, Privileges Bill, 2016

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th August, 2016) : The National Assembly on Monday passed the Members of Election Commission (Salary, Allowance, Perks and Privileges) Bill, 2016 with majority votes. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad piloted the Members, Election Commission (Salary, Allowance, Perks and Privileges) Bill, 2016 in the House as reported by the Standing committee. Opposing the bill, PTI Chief Whip Dr Shireen Mazari said the ECP members had already getting salaries and other perks and the government was now bringing a bill.

She said it was illegal to pay them salaries as the bill was not yet passed by the House. Parliamentary leader of PPP, Naveed Qamar said the members were getting salaries on adhoc basis.

He said the bill should be passed to give a legal cover to it. Sheikh Aftab said before the passage of 18th amendment, the ECP members were also sitting judges of High courts and they always withdrew salaries and other perks from the parent organizations.

He said after the passage of amendment, now retired judges and bureaucrats could also become ECP members. It was need of hour to give legal covers to salary and other perks and privilege of the ECP members. It was proposed that the member shall be entitled to the same salary, allowances, perks and privileges as admissible to a judge of the High Court.