🇵🇰 ECP gears up to hold election for president by March 9

[ghazi]

ECP gears up to hold election for president by March 9​

Six-party alliance has announced Zardari as its candidate for top constitutional office.

ISLAMABAD: Still coping with the post-poll challenges amid rigging allegations, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is now gearing up to hold the election for the office of the country’s president by March 9, two days before the retirement of half of the senators after completing their six-year term, Dawn has learnt.

“The president will be elected by the present senators after setting up of all the four provincial assemblies,” a senior PPP office-bearer said, adding that the election could take place on March 9 or 10.

The six-party alliance, set to form a coalition government at the Centre under the PML-N’s Shehbaz Sharif, has already announced Asif Ali Zardari as its consensus candidate for the country’s top constitutional office.

Mr Zardari previously served as the president from September 2008 to 2013 after the resignation of the military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

Six-party alliance has announced Zardari as its candidate for top constitutional office

Article 41(4) of the Constitution says that “election to the office of president shall be held not earlier than sixty 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 thirty days of the general election to the Assembly”.

Since the general elections were held on Feb 8, the presidential election is required to be conducted by March 9, just two days before the retirement of half of the 100-member Senate.