Constitution of 1956

Sixth Schedule

The Sixth Schedule described the election of President under Article 222

Sixth Schedule

Article 222

Election of President under Article 222

1. At any time before noon on the day preceding the day fixed for the election of the President, any member of the Assembly may propose a person for election by delivering to the Secretary of the Assembly a nomination paper signed by that member and stating that person consents to the nomination.

2. Any person who has been nominated may withdraw his candidature at any time prior to the holding of the election.

3. On the day fixed for the election the person presiding over the Assembly shall read out to the Assembly the names of the person; who have been duly nominated and have not withdrawn their candidature, together with the names of their proposers, and, if there is only one such person, shall declare that person to be duly elected. If there is more than one such person, the Assembly shall proceed to elect the President by secret ballot. The ballot shall be held in such manner as the person presiding over the Assembly may direct.

4. Where there are only two candidates for election, the candidate who obtains at the ballot the larger number of votes shall be declared elected. If two candidates obtain an equal number of votes, the determination of the election shall be by drawing of lots.

5. Where the number of persons who have been duly nominated and have not withdrawn their candidature exceeds two, and at the first ballot no candidate obtains more votes than the aggregate votes obtained by the other candidates, the candidate who has obtained the smallest number of votes shall be excluded from the election. Balloting shall then proceed, with the candidate obtaining the smallest number of votes at each ballot being excluded from the election until one candidate obtains more votes than the remaining candidate or than the aggregate votes of the remaining candidates, as the case may be, and such candidate shall be declared elected.

6. Where at any ballot any two or more candidates obtain an equal number of votes and one of them has to be excluded from the election under paragraph 5, the determination of the question as to which of the candidates whose votes are equal is to be excluded shall be by drawing of lots.

7. The meeting of the Assembly at which the election takes place shall be presided over by the Speaker, or, if the Speaker is unable to preside, by the Deputy Speaker, or if the Deputy Speaker is also unable to preside, by such person as may be determined by the Rules of the Assembly.

8. In this Schedule, "the Assembly" means, as respects the period before the Constitution Day the Constituent Assembly, and as respect the period commencing on the Constitution Day, the National Assembly.

Source: Documents and Speeches on the Constitution of Pakistan
By G. W. Choudhury (1967). Green Book House, Dacca (East Pakistan)

Search the Republic of Rumi