Islamabad June 16 2023: Pakistan upper house, the senate, has unanimously passed the bill to amend Section 232 on eligibility and disqualification of the Election Act.
According to the amendment, the period of disqualification shall not exceed five years where the period is not specified in the Constitution.
According to the amendment, “the manner and period shall be as provided in Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution and where no procedure, manner or period is provided for in the Constitution, the provisions of this Act shall apply.”
According to the amendment, a person convicted under a judgment, order or decree of the Supreme Court, High Court or any court shall be disqualified for five years from the date of the judgment.
Interior Minister and Muslim League-N leader Rana Sanaullah has said that “If Allah gives us another chance, we will resume the journey of development under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif this year.”
Article 62, Clause 1F of the Constitution shall not be punishable with disqualification for a term exceeding five years and thereafter the person concerned shall be eligible to become a member of Parliament or Provincial Assembly.
It should be noted that the Election Act passed by the National Assembly was sent to the Senate in which this specific amendment has been added and will now be sent to the National Assembly for approval again.
It should be remembered that earlier the disqualification under Article 62 and 63 was considered lifelong and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former PTI leader Jahangir Tareen faced lifelong disqualification only under Article 62 1F in 2017.
