ISLAMABAD: Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, belonging to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), submitted on Tuesday a request in the Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking to hold the upcoming presidential elections before the announced date of Aug 6, DawnNews reported.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan constituted a three-member bench to hear the petition submitted by the senior PML-N leader.

Raja Zafarul Haq in his request asked the apex court not to hold the presidential elections during the last Ashra (ten days) of Ramazan.

He further gave the reference of various reports published in the media according to which more than a hundred lawmakers would not be available to participate in the presidential elections on Aug 6 as they would be engaged in Aitekaf, Umrah and other religious duties.

Raja's petition sought to hold presidential elections on July 30.

Earlier the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had turned down a request made by the government to change the date for presidential election and said the poll would be held on Aug 6 as already announced by the commission.

Code of Conduct

Moreover, the ECP on Tuesday issued a code of conduct for lawmakers with regards to the presidential elections.

According to the code of conduct the presidential elections would be conducted through secret balloting and the lawmakers would only have to put a cross in front of the name of the candidate they would want to vote for.

No other symbol or mark would be allowed on the ballot paper.

Apart from the designated special pencil, no other pen or pencil would be allowed to mark the vote.

The legislators would have to present their CNIC for identification purposes.

The presidential elections would be held in the upper house of parliament followed by the lower house of parliament.