ISLAMABAD: The swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected members of the National Assembly (MNAs) is expected to take place in the last week of February, with the inaugural session of the National Assembly likely to convene on February 29.
The inaugural session, to be chaired by Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, will witness the administration of the oath to the newly elected MNAs.
Per regulations, elected members must disclose their election expenditures within ten days of victory; failure to comply will result in the withholding of their success notification. The issuance of success notifications is slated within 14 days post-election, followed by the allocation of 60 women and 10 non-Muslim seats.
Upon the announcement of official results, independent MNAs will have a three-day window to align with any parliamentary party of their preference.
In accordance with Article 21 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the National Assembly session must be convened within 21 days of elections, although it can be called earlier.
Under Section 91(2) of the Constitution, the president is mandated to summon the National Assembly session within 21 days subsequent to the official declaration of election results or the issuance of its notification.
Following the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the selection of the new Prime Minister will ensue via secret ballot. The newly elected Prime Minister is expected to assume office in the initial week of March.
For the Prime Ministerial election, the assembly will be bifurcated into two sections, with votes tallied accordingly based on this division.
As stipulated in Section 91(4), the prime minister “shall be elected by the votes of the majority of the total membership of the National Assembly. If no member secures such a majority in the first poll, a second poll shall be conducted between the members who secure the two highest numbers of votes in the first poll.
The member who secures a majority of votes of the members present and voting shall be declared elected as prime minister. Furthermore, if the number of votes secured by two or more members securing the highest number of votes is equal, further polls shall be conducted between them until one of them secures a majority of votes of the members present and voting.”
