RAWALPINDI: Nomination papers for election to the office of the President will be received by the Election Commission at Rawalpindi on Nov 26. Scrutiny [of nominations] will take place the next day. The Election Commission has, by a separate notification, called upon the 80,000 strong Electoral College to elect the President of Pakistan. The Election Commission’s notifications today [Nov 22] put the Presidential election machinery in full gear.

The polling schedule, it is learnt, will largely depend on the number of candidates for the Presidential office. In case the number of candidates does not exceed four, including the incumbent, the polling is likely to commence about Jan 1. But if the candidates’ number exceeds four, the constitutional provisions for screening the candidates jointly by the three legislatures, the National Assembly and the two Provincial Assemblies, will have to be invoked by the Election Commission to reduce the number of candidates to the maximum four. However, apparently the chances are that the screening of candidates will not be necessary at all. It will be more or less a straight fight between President Ayub, who is the nominee of the Muslim League, and Miss Fatima Jinnah, sponsored by the Combined Opposition Parties.

Published in Dawn, November 23th , 2014