NA reduces lifetime disqualification period to 5 years

The National Assembly Sunday limited the period of disqualification to five years through an amendment to the Election Act.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was empowered to announce and alter the date and schedule of elections through an amendment to the Election Act.

The condition of consultation with the president for the election date was also abolished.

The budget session of the National Assembly was held under the chairmanship of Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented a bill to amend the Election Act through supplementary agenda which was approved by the House. The bill had already been approved by the Senate.

The period of disqualification was set at five years under the Election Act Bill 62 (1)(F). The amendment paved the way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Tareen to contest elections.

Moreover, amendments were proposed to Sections 57(1) (notification of election programme) and 58 (notification of election programme) of the Elections Act to empower the ECP to announce election dates unilaterally without having to consult the president. They were as follows:

Section 57(1): The commission shall announce the date or dates of the general elections by notification in the official gazette and shall call upon the constituencies to elect their representatives.

Section 58: Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 57, the commission may at any time after the issuance of notification under subsection (1) of that section make such alterations in the election programme announced in that notification for the different stages of the election or may issue a fresh election programme with fresh poll date(s) as may in its opinion to be recorded in writing be necessary for the purposes of this act.