Staff Correspondent:

Vice-Chair of the National Consensus Commission Ali Riaz on Thursday said all political parties have agreed on the need to amend the Constitution to change the process of electing the President.

“However, no consensus has yet been reached on what the new process should look like,” Ali Riaz said while briefing journalists at the conclusion of the Commission’s second-phase discussions, held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

He said there is unanimous support for amending Article 48(1) of the Constitution, which currently stipulates that the President is elected by Members of Parliament.

“Everyone wants to change the existing electoral process.  But almost all proposed alternatives are linked to the establishment of a bicameral legislature. So, a decision on the legislature must come first,” he said.

“There are discussions around whether an Electoral College of 500 votes will be formed, or whether representatives from district councils and city corporations will be included,” Ali Riaz explained, adding, “Many of these details hinge on whether or not the legislature will become bicameral. To finalise the presidential election process, the issue of the legislature must be settled first.”

Riaz also mentioned that no agreement has been reached regarding the tenure of the Prime Minister. “There has been discussion about whether someone can serve two consecutive terms and then be disqualified, or whether they may return after a break of one or two terms. But no decision has been reached yet,” he said.

Further discussions with political parties will resume at 10:30 am on Sunday, focusing on unresolved issues, he said.

Ali Riaz said party representatives would have time over the coming days to consult with their policymaking committees regarding matters discussed so far.

When asked what the Commission would do if consensus could not be achieved on certain topics, the Commission Vice-Chair said, “Consensus on all issues may not be possible. It would be ideal if it were, but if not, those topics will be recorded in the Charter as unresolved.”

He expressed the hope that the upcoming July Charter would maintain the highest standards of transparency.