ISLAMABAD: In the wake of the prime minister’s (PM) disqualification, a session of the National Assembly (NA) will be called where the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is likely to nominate new leader of the House.
The PPP has accepted the Supreme Court’s ruling and is likely to nominate a new premier in consultation with the allied parties.According to the NA Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, “Whenever the office of the prime minister falls vacant for any reason, the assembly shall, to the exclusion of any other business, proceed to elect without debate one of its Muslim members to be the prime minister.”
“Any member may propose or second the name of any Muslim member for election as prime minister. The speaker shall, in the presence of the candidates or their proposers or seconders, scrutinise the nomination papers. A candidate may withdraw his candidature at any time before the election takes place,” the rules also read.
“There would be polling for the election of the prime minister. Before commencement of the poll, the speaker shall read out to the assembly the names of the validly nominated candidates who have not withdrawn as the contesting candidates. If there is only one contesting candidate and he secures the votes of the majority of the total membership of the assembly, the speaker shall declare him to have been elected. If there is only one contesting candidate and he fails to secure the votes of the majority of the total membership of the assembly, all proceedings shall commence afresh,” the rules read further.
They also read, “If there are two or more contesting candidates and if no contesting candidate secures such majority in the first poll, a second poll shall be held between the candidates who secure the two highest numbers of votes in the first poll and the candidate who secures a majority of votes of the members present and voting shall be declared to have been elected as prime minister.”
“If the number of votes secured by two or more candidates securing the highest number of votes is equal, further poll shall be held between them until one of them secures a majority of the votes of the members present and voting,” the rules also read. – Dailynews
