Islamabad, Aug 1: The presidential polls in Pakistan will likely be held in the first week of September and the Election Commission has started the preparations for the purpose, the media reported on Wednesday. President Mamnoon Hussain's five-year term is due to expire on September 8. According to the Constitution, the indirect election to the office of the President is held no earlier than 60 days and no later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of the incumbent President.

If the presidential election cannot be held because of the dissolution of the National Assembly, then it should be held within 30 days of the general election. The presidential elections were scheduled to be held on August 8 but the Electoral College could not be finalised, ECP sources told Geo News. The new assemblies will not be functional till August 10, they said.

The poll body will issue the final schedule for the presidential elections after completing the electoral rolls. Members elected to the national and provincial assemblies will get to vote in the presidential elections. Pakistan on July 25 held its general election in which former cricketer Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the single largest party.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan People's Party headed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari were second and third respectively. Khan will take oath as Prime Minister on August 11.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2018 07:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).