ISLAMABAD  - The National Assembly Secretariat on Friday asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to issue the schedule of presidential election so that the presence of the Members Parliament could be ensured.
Under the constitution the Election Commission of Pakistan is bound to issue the schedule for presidential election 30 days before the expiry of the constitutional term of the incumbent President, which is going to expire on September 9. So the schedule for the office of President must come on or before August 9, an official in the National Assembly Secretariat said.
As per Article 41 of the Constitution dealing with the elections of President: “Election to the office of President shall be held not earlier than 60 days and not later than thirty days before the expiration of the term of the President in office: Provided that, if the election cannot be held within the period aforesaid because the National Assembly is dissolved, it shall be held within 30 days of the general election to the Assembly.
An election to fill a vacancy in the office of President shall be held not later than thirty days from the occurrence of the vacancy:
Provided that, if the election cannot be held within the period aforesaid because the National Assembly is dissolved, it shall be held within thirty days of the general election to the Assembly.
The validity of the election of the President shall not be called in question by or before any court or other authority.”
The electoral college for the Presidential elections is the Parliament and all the four provincial assemblies which would jointly elect the President of Pakistan as per the procedure given in the Second Schedule in the Constitution of Pakistan.
Sources in the PML-N informed that some party heavyweights have already started lobbying for the slot while the opposition parties would likely attempt to bring some joint candidate against the ruling party’s candidate.
In this connection, PPPP President Makhdoom Amin Fahim was asked he simply said that the party has yet to take any decision in this regard and they would take up the matter at party’s Central Executive Committee meeting once the elections schedule comes.