POLITICAL PARTIES SHALL FILE SEPARATE LISTS OF THEIR CANDIDATES IN ORDER OF PRIORITY WITHIN THE PERIOD FIXED BY ELECTION COMMISSION FOR SUBMISSION OF NOMINATION PAPERS
--------SECRETARY ELECTION COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN
Islamabad, the 24th November, 2007.— The Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan has once again drawn attention of the political parties to the provisions of Article 8F of the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002 and Section 47A of the Representation of the People Act,1976 and has said that in view of the requests received from certain political parties, the Hon’ble Chief Election Commissioner has been pleased to order that the political parties may file separate Lists of their candidates in order of priority for seats reserved for Women and non-Muslims in the National Assembly of Pakistan and the Provincial Assemblies by the 26th November, 2007 i.e. the last date fixed by the Election Commission for submission of nomination papers with the Returning Officers by the candidates.
The Secretary, Election Commission added that the relevant provisions of Article 8F of the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002 and Section 47A of the Representation of the People Act,1976 are reproduced hereunder for facility of reference:
“(1) For the purpose of election to seats reserved for women and non-Muslims in the National Assembly and the Provincial Assemblies, the political parties contesting election for such seats shall within the period fixed by the Election Commission for submission of nomination papers, file separate lists of their candidates in order of priority for seats reserved for women and non-Muslims with the Chief Election Commissioner or, as he may direct, with the Provincial Election Commissioner, who shall forthwith cause such lists to be published for information of the public at large”.
“(2) The parties’ lists referred to in clause (1) may contain as many names of additional candidates as a political party may deem necessary for contesting seats reserved for women and non-Muslims to provide for any disqualification of candidates during scrutiny of nomination papers or for filling of any vacant seat during the terms of National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies, as the case may be”.
The Secretary, Election Commission told that in view of the above said provisions of law, all such political parties, which are taking part in the General Elections, 2007-08 should submit separate Lists of their candidates in order of priority for seats reserved for non-Muslims in the National Assembly of Pakistan with the Joint Secretary (Admn.), Election Commission Secretariat, Islamabad/Returning Officer for the seats reserved for non-Muslims in the National Assembly by the 26th November, 2007. Likewise, the Lists of nominated candidates in order of priority for seats reserved for Women in the National Assembly and the reserved seats for Women and non-Muslims in the Provincial Assemblies should be submitted by the 26th November, 2007, positively to the Provincial Election Commissioners, Punjab/Lahore, Sindh/Karachi, NWFP/ Peshawar and Balochistan/ Quetta, who are Returning Officers for the said seats in their respective Provinces.