ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: The Chief Election Commissioner, Mr Justice Irshad Hasan Khan, on Tuesday directed the Returning Officers not to entertain the nomination papers of sitting federal and provincial ministers and governors of the provinces, for contesting the general election until they resigned from their offices.

The Chief Election Commissioner has been repeatedly asking the sitting ministers desirous of contesting the forthcoming general election, to resign from their offices before filing the nomination papers.

The election schedule for the general election is expected within a couple of days.

After a meeting of the Election Commission held here, the Chief Election Commissioner directed the Returning Officers throughout the country not to entertain the nomination papers of all those sitting federal and provincial ministers and governors of the provinces who were willing to contest election to national and provincial assemblies or Senate, until they relinquished their respective offices before filing the nomination papers, an announcement of the Election Commission said.

The Chief Election Commissioner said that the principle of neutrality and impartiality demanded that incumbent ministers relinquished their offices before filing their nomination papers or be asked to resign by the President well before the election day.

He said that an incumbent minister willing to contest election, would enjoy inherent advantages, which would not be available to the opposing candidate and it would be unfair.