ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly of Pakistan passed a bill on Sunday that seeks to amend the Elections Act 2017, with the aim of limiting the disqualification of lawmakers to a maximum of five years, with retrospective effect.
The Elections (Amendment) Bill 2023, which had already been approved by the Senate on June 16, was presented in the National Assembly by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and will come into force immediately.
The proposed amendments focus on Article 62(f) of the Constitution, which outlines the qualifications for members of the Parliament. The article states that a person must be sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest, and ameen (trustworthy) to be eligible for election or to be chosen as a member of the Parliament.
The bill includes an amendment to Section 232 of the Election Act, 2017, which pertains to the disqualification of lawmakers due to offenses. It states that the disqualification of a person under Article 62(f) of the Constitution shall not exceed a period of five years from the declaration of the court of law, and that such declaration must adhere to due process of law.
The amendment further emphasizes that the procedures, manner, and duration of disqualifications and qualifications should be as specifically provided in Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. If no such provisions are provided, the provisions of the Elections Act will apply.
Bill Proposes Amendments to Sections 57(1) and 58 of Elections Act
Additionally, the bill proposes amendments to Sections 57(1) and 58 of the Elections Act, granting the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) the authority to unilaterally announce election dates without consulting the president.
Under the proposed amendments, the ECP would announce the date or dates of the general elections through an official gazette notification and call upon the constituencies to elect their representatives. The ECP would also have the power to make alterations to the election program or issue a fresh election program with new poll dates as deemed necessary.
