News
Monday, July 29, 2013
Parliament prepares for race to the Presidency* Both Houses meet separately today to pave way for a joint sitting to conduct the presidential election
* ECP completes printing of ballot papers
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The process to elect new president of the country enters into its final phase as both houses of parliament will meet today (Monday) separately to pave the way for joint sitting of parliament for the presidential election on July 30.
The meeting of both houses is necessary in order to finalise the arrangements for the election.
In the session of National Assembly (NA), the government will move a resolution to turn the chamber of NA into a polling hall for the election of president. Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, state minister for parliamentary affairs, will move the motion.
“The motion is the main item on the agenda of the House,” Sheikh Aftab told Daily Times on Sunday.
After the declaration of turning assembly hall into a polling hall, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Anwar Kasi will take over its control as presiding officer to conduct polling during the joint session of Senate and National Assembly.
The ruling party PML-N’s Mamnoon Hussain and opposition party PTI’s candidate Justice (r) Wajihuddin are in one-to-one contest for the office of president after the PPP boycotted the election and withdrew its candidate Senator Raza RAbbani.
A total of 324 members of National Assembly and 103 of Senate are to vote in the president election. However with the boycott of PPP, ANP, BNP-Awami and PML-Q, the turnout in the Senate will be drastically down.
The PML-N dominates the National Assembly. However, it has very thin presence in Senate where opposition led by PPP holds the control of the House but it announced to remain absent from parliament, thus a very low turnout is expected in Senate.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed printing of the ballot papers and started its transportation to the provinces.
The ballot papers contain the names of Mamnoon Hussain and Justice (r) Wajihuddin. On Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Fakhruddin G Ibrahim also asked the parliamentarians to ensure the secrecy of ballot papers while casting their vote.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk