Begum Kulsoom could remain MNA despite delay in oath taking, says ECP
- By Web Desk -
- Dec 07, 2017
ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday replying a letter of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has said that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz could remain Member of National Assembly (MNA) despite delay in taking oath.
The PTI had sought the ECP response in a letter about legal implications of the delay in taking the oath by Begum Kulsoom Nawaz as a member of the National Assembly.
According to the country’s top electoral body, the swearing-in of elected parliament members is mandatory for attending a legislative session and casting a vote under Article 65 of the constitution.
The law and constitution do not provide any deadline with regard to taking an oath within a specific time period after getting elected as an MNA, the ECP replied in its statement.
On September 18, PML-N candidate Begum Kulsoom Nawaz retained the National Assembly seat that fell vacant after her spouse Nawaz Sharif’s ouster, defeating PTI candidate Dr Yasmeen Rashid with a margin of 14,646 votes in a by-election.
A total number of 125,129 voters exercised their right to vote in the NA-120 by-polls out of which 80,944 were male and 45,916 were female voters.
However, the PML-N candidate did not take oath for being under medical treatment in London.
On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz arrived in London to inquire about the health of Kulsoom Nawaz after getting one week exemption from the hearing of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against Sharif family.