There will no longer be a permanent ban on participation.
The Election Act (Amendment) Bill has been signed into law by the acting president.
ISLAMABAD:
On Monday, Acting President Sadiq Sanjrani signed the Elections Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, reducing the period of disqualification for a legislator from life to five years.
The law easily cleared the House of Representatives after it had already been approved by the Senate.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar introduced the law as an additional item on the National Assembly’s agenda, and it was quickly and easily passed.
After the acting president signs the bill into law, Quaid Nawaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jahangir Tareen of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) will see the most immediate benefits.
Several months before the general elections in 2018, the Supreme Court permanently disqualified Nawaz, a three-time former prime minister, and Tareen, the then secretary general of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), from ever holding public office.
Disqualification now lasts for five years, thanks to an amendment to Section 232 (Qualifications and Disqualifications) of the Election Act, 2017. Article 62 of the Constitution stipulated that any term of disqualification could not be longer than five years.
It stated that “where the duration of the punishment is not specified in the Constitution,” a five-year period of possible disqualification for the lawmaker would be considered. If the Supreme Court or a higher court rules in favour of disqualification, it will take effect for five years.
Controls ECP
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is now authorised by the amendment legislation to determine the election date independently of the president and to alter the election timetable as it sees fit.
When Section 57(1) of the Elections Act was revised, it stated that the ECP would notify the official gazette of the date or dates for the general elections and that constituencies would be called upon to elect their members.
According to the revised Section 58 (1), the ECP is authorised to make changes to the election schedule after notification has been issued, or to issue a new election schedule with new polling dates.
The Budget Bill
The Finance Bill 2023-24 was also signed off on by the acting president one day after it was passed by the National Assembly.
The agreed budget prioritises fiscal responsibility, growth that benefits all, and economic security.
Added to the original law that was introduced on June 9 were new levies totaling Rs215 billion.
The legislation established a GDP growth rate target of 3.5%.
The day before it was passed, Finance Minister Dar proposed Rs300 billion in fiscal adjustments, many of which were IMF-requested spending cuts.
The Federal Board of Revenue has a target collection amount of Rs9,415 billion, according to the Finance Act, which will go into effect on July 1 and include Rs215 billion in additional taxes.
House members gave their stamp of approval to increases in pension payments to retirees, provincial allocations from the National Finance Commission, and funding for the Benazir Income Support Programme.
