Election Act 2017 Amended To Empower Caretaker Government

On Wednesday, a joint session of the Parliament approved amendments to the Election Act 2017, empowering the caretaker government with the authority to make decisions related to existing bilateral or multilateral agreements and projects. The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was presented by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi. The move comes ahead of scheduled polls later this year, and the amendment is one of several proposed changes to the election laws.

Initially, objections were raised during the joint session, leading to a one-day deferral of the amendment. However, when the session reconvened, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar informed that a new draft of the ame

The new draft of the amendment clarifies that certain provisions, sub-sections 1 and 2, would not apply to the caretaker government when it needs to make decisions concerning existing bilateral or multilateral agreements or projects initiated under specific acts and ordinances.

PPP Senator Raza Rabbani expressed his approval of other amendments to the Election Act 2017 but voiced his opposition to granting such powers to the caretaker government. He emphasized that the caretaker government's role should be limited to overseeing fair and transparent elections, not taking on the responsibilities of an elected representative government.

Similarly, PTI Senator Ali Zafar argued that empowering the caretaker government with the authority of an elected government would be a violation of the Constitution. He warned that if the Parliament did not reject the amendment, the Supreme Court might take action in the coming days.

While other amendments received consensus, the debate over granting additional powers to the caretaker government reflects the divided opinions within the Parliament on this crucial matter. The session resulted in the removal of sub-clauses from the amendment, but the issue remains contentious as it impacts the balance between caretaker authority and the democratic process.