Presidential election will be held on September 4, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Thursday.
According to the schedule issued by the electoral body, nomination papers for the presidential polls can be filed with the presiding officers in Islamabad and the four provinces by August 27. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be conducted on August 29. Candidature can be withdrawn by 12 noon on August 30. The list of valid candidates would be published the same day at 1pm.
Voting for the presidential election will be held in the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies from 10am to 4pm on September 4.
It is pertinent to mention here that President Mamnoon Hussain’s five-year term is set to expire on September 9. According to the constitution, the presidential election must be held at least a month prior to the expiry of the incumbent’s term, which in this case would have been August 8. Holding a presidential election on Aug 8 was out of question, since neither National Assembly nor the provincial assemblies were functional then.
The president is elected by an electoral college comprising members of the Senate, National Assembly and four provincial assemblies. Voting is held through a secret ballot.
Published in Daily Times, August 17th 2018.
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