Presidential Elections Mandatory Within 30 Days After General Polls: ECP

Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that it is obligatory to conduct presidential elections within 30 days following the general elections, as outlined in Article 41(4) of the Constitution.

After the recent general elections in 2024 and the initial results, the ECP has initiated preparations for the upcoming presidential elections and the inaugural sessions of all assemblies as mandated by the Constitution.

According to the ECP, the schedule for the presidential election and public notice will be issued on March 1. Candidates will have one day to submit their nomination papers, with a deadline of 12pm on March 2. Nomination papers can be obtained from the ECP secretariat in Islamabad or any provincial election commissioner.

Referring to Articles 91 and 130 of the Constitution, the ECP stated that the National Assembly is required to convene on the 21st day following the general elections. By February 29, all assemblies will be formed, facilitating the process for the presidential election.

This announcement follows a recent development where National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf scheduled the maiden sitting of the lower house of Parliament on Feb 29. President Arif Alvi declined to summon the session, citing an ‘incomplete house’ as the reason.

President Alvi’s decision was reportedly influenced by pending issues related to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) reserved seats, which were joined by lawmakers backed by the PTI.

Read more: ECP adjourns hearing on SIC plea to allocate reserved seats

In the inaugural session, the Speaker will administer the oath to newly elected National Assembly members, and the schedule for speaker and deputy speaker elections will be determined.

The Constitution mandates the convening of the first session of the National Assembly within 21 days after the general elections. Failure to do so requires the secretariat to announce the session, as per a senior official of the National Assembly Secretariat.