ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: Chief Election Commissioner, Irshad Hasan Khan, on Monday reiterated that the sitting ministers desiring to contest the upcoming general elections must relinquish their offices before they file nomination papers.

“The principle of neutrality and impartiality demands that incumbent ministers seeking to contest forthcoming elections should relinquish their offices or they be asked to resign by the president well before the election day,” the CEC said.

The CEC had first asked the sitting ministers to resign from the cabinet on July 10, after the statement of federal law minister Dr Khalid Ranjha that incumbent ministers aspiring to contest polls, were not required to resign from cabinet. The CEC repeated the same on Monday.

The Election Commissioner said that an incumbent minister contesting election would enjoy “inherent advantages” which would not be fair to the opposing candidate.