Candidate FAQS

For Council: A member of at least five (5) years continuous standing with the Institute on the date of the election (i.e. September 11, 2021), shall be eligible to stand for election to the Council from the respective zone of the regional constituency in which his/her name is included (Bye-law 13 (1))

For Regional Committees: A member of not less than three (3) years’ continuous standing with the Institute on the date of the election (i.e. September 11, 2021), shall be eligible to stand for election to the Regional Committee from the zone of the constituency in which his/her name is included (Bye-law 89 (2)).

A member shall be eligible to stand for elections of the Council from the respective zone of the regional constituency in which his/her name is included:

Provided that a member shall only be eligible to stand for the election from a zone of the regional constituency, if as per the Institute’s records, his/her last two years’ address appearing in the membership directory is of that zone. In the case of overseas members, their last permanent address of Pakistan as registered with the Institute shall form the basis for determining the aforementioned condition. (Bye-law 13 (2))

Both the proposer and the seconder must be members of the Institute, who are entitled to vote in the election of the zone of the regional constituency to which the candidate belongs. (Bye-law 16)

For candidates, it is essential to submit the following documents:
a) For Council Election: Form ‘Y’ (By Practice)
b) For Regional Committee Elections: Form ‘Z’ (By Practice)
c) Undertaking (Specimen on the back of the Nomination form) (Bye-law 11 (12))
d) Bank draft/pay order of Rs. 200/- in favour of ICAP (Bye-law 17)
e) Proforma of the candidate’s particulars duly completed along with 2 recent passport size photographs (4 x 3.5 cm)

The Nomination Forms appropriately filled along with all the required documents should reach the Election Committee at the head office of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan, Chartered Accountants Avenue, Clifton Karachi-75600, not later than 16:00 hours on the nomination date, i.e. June 28, 2021. (Bye-law 16)

The candidates are required to pay regardless of their number of nominations, a fee of two hundred rupees by a demand draft payable to the Institute. (Bye-law 17(1))

A candidate whose nomination is held to be invalid or who has withdrawn his/her candidature shall be entitled on an application made in this behalf, to refund of the fee in full. (Bye-law 17 (2) & 20(3))

The Election Committee shall scrutinize the nomination papers of all the candidates and shall reject a nomination if it is satisfied that:

• the candidate was ineligible to stand for election; or
• the proposer or the seconder was not qualified to subscribe to the nomination paper; or
• the signature of the candidate or the proposer or the seconder was not genuine; or
• there has been a failure to comply with the provisions of Bye-Law 16 or Bye-Law 17.

The Election Committee shall, after the scrutiny of nomination papers, prepare a list of validly nominated candidates for each zone of the constituency and cause a copy of the list to be sent to each candidate from the zone within ten days of the nomination date. (Bye-law 19)

Any validly nominated candidate may withdraw his/her candidature by notice in writing subscribed by him/her and delivered to the Election Committee before 16:00 hours of the withdrawal date. (Bye-law 20)

No, a candidate cannot reverse the withdrawal of the candidature once effective. (By practice)

The Election Committee shall send the final list of contesting candidates to all the candidates and voters of the respective zones by registered post at least one month before the date of the election. (Bye-law 21)

If any validly nominated candidate passes away or otherwise ceases to be a member on or before the date of election i.e. September 11, 2021, the election in that zone of the constituency shall be conducted among the remaining candidates. The votes cast in favour of any such candidate shall be ignored for counting purposes. (Bye-law 22)

A contesting candidate may, before the commencement of the poll, appoint two polling agents for each polling booth at an election station, who shall be members of the Institute but only one of them shall be entitled to be present at a time on his/her behalf at that particular polling booth. (Bye-law 30(2))

The candidate has to issue a letter of authority for the appointment of a polling agent and that letter shall contain the full name, membership number, address of the polling agent and the name of the polling booth of an election station at which he/she is authorized to be present. (Bye-law 30(3))

To assist the contesting candidates to broadcast information about themselves, the Institute will arrange to:
a) Issue candidates’ profile with their photograph stating particulars, position in their organization and other fields of service, achievements, previous service to the Institute, or its Council, Regional Committee or any other Committee(s). (Directive 6.03 (4) (i))
b) Include the profile of the candidates in the Institute’s Newsletter and The Pakistan Accountant. (Directive 6.03 (4) (ii))
c) The Institute may at its discretion, organize a presentation of approximately 10 minutes duration to be made by each candidate of the Council and Regional Committees before the members at least four weeks before the date of the Election. Separate presentations may be arranged by the Institute for Southern Region at Karachi, and for Northern Region at Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan and Faisalabad. (Bye-law 47A (1))
d) Each candidate shall be allowed to submit a write up not exceeding two pages of the size 8.5 x 13 inches. The write up shall cover the ideas and views of the candidate that he/she has about the activities and contributions of the Institute to the profession of chartered accountants. Such write up shall be placed on the website of the Institute and the same shall be circulated by the Institute in a special Election bulletin. (Bye-law 47A (2) and (3))

The write up shall not exceed two pages of size 8.5 x 13 inches. The write up shall cover the candidates’ ideas and views about the activities and contributions to the Institute and the profession of the chartered accountants. (Bye-law 47A (2))

Yes, email is an acceptable mode of canvassing.

The candidates and voters are to refrain from influencing any member to vote or not to vote for any candidate(s) through pamphlets/brochures/cards or by any other means of communication which tends to prevent a free exercise of the voting right. (Directive 6.03 (2)(ii))

No, canvassing on Election Day is strictly prohibited and if an Election Officer finds a candidate violating this, he/she can ask the candidate and/or polling agent to leave the Election Station. (By practice)

Yes, a candidate may use social media including Facebook and WhatsApp for canvassing to the Election in good taste and good sense.

A candidate may request recounting of votes from Election Committee under special circumstances.

A candidate may apply under sub-section (2) of Section 10 of the Chartered Accountants Ordinance, 1961, in case of an Election Dispute, within thirty days from the date of the declaration of the result of the Election.

• The Council shall refer such matters to a Tribunal within thirty days of its receipt. Such Tribunal will be appointed by the President of the Council. Provided that in case the President of the Council in office is himself a party to such dispute or is unwilling to make such appointment, the immediate past President of the Council shall appoint the Tribunal.
• The Tribunal shall give its decision on the matter and may pass an order as to cost as it deems appropriate. All decisions taken by the Tribunal shall be final.