Election tribunals to have retired judges now as acting president signs new ordinance

• New ordinance extends period of remanding accused in NAB cases.
• Punishment of convicted NAB officers reduced to two years. 
• Gilani signs ordinances as President Zardari not present in country. 

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ISLAMABAD: Acting President Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday signed two new ordinances, the Election Act (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 and NAB (Amendment) Ordinance 2024.

After the promulgation of Election Act (Amendment) Ordinance 2024, the election tribunals will have the retired judges as its members besides the serving jurists.

Meanwhile, the NAB Ordinance extended the period of remanding accused in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases from 14 days to 40 days.

Moreover, the sentence duration for the officer convicted for framing cases based on ill will has been reduced to two years from five years.

The promulgation comes after the federal cabinet’s approval of the amendments in the two ordinances.

The acting president signed the Election (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 and NAB (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as President Asif Zardari is currently in Dubai.