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"The principle of neutrality and impartiality demands that incumbent ministers seeking to contest forthcoming elections should relinquish their offices or they be asked to resign by the president well before the day of voting," Khan said.
An incumbent minister contesting elections would enjoy inherent advantages, which would not be fair to the opposing candidate, he told reporters in Islamabad on Wednesday.
However, Khan said, the position of those cabinet ministers contesting elections to seats for technocrats, was somewhat different.
He said this issue needed further consideration as the method of election for technocrats was being evolved for the first time.
Major political parties have been demanding removal of the CEC for, what they term as, his controversial role in the presidential referendum, held on April 30.
President of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, has also renewed his demand for setting up of an 'independent' and 'autonomous' election commission and formation of a neutral caretaker government for holding free and fair elections.
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