ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday demanded from the chief election commissioner to resign from his post along other members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, Minister for Information Shibli Faraz and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry held a press conference in Islamabad on the recently held Senate elections.

“The CEC along with other members of the election commission should submit resignation as they failed to hold fair and transparent Senate polls,” said Shafqat Mahmood.

He said the parliament should be given the chance to create new election commission which could be trusted by all. It was the ECP’s responsibility to hold transparent elections, but it had failed to perform its duties, he said.

“A mechanism should be devised to halt the corrupt practices and introduce open ballot polls in the parliament. No party is satisfied with the performance of the ECP,” he said.

The federal minister said that the ECP cannot operate in the present circumstances. They should submit resignations, he added.

The federal minister said the government wanted the CEC to work as a neutral umpire, which he was not doing. Yousaf Gillani’s bagging more votes established that votes were traded, he maintained.

He also said that horse trading was discussed whenever senate elections took place.