Section 77: General Election.

(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this Section a general election of the Members of Parliament shall held not later than the ninetieth day after any dissolution of Parliament or such earlier day as the President may by Proclamation appoint: (2) If, when Parliament has been dissolved the President considers that owing to the existence of a state of a public emergency it would not be practicable to hold a general election within ninety days after the dissolution, the President may by Proclamation recall the Parliament that has been dissolved and the following provisions shall then have effect:— a) Parliament shall meet at such date, not later than fourteen days after the date of the Proclamation, as may be specified therein; b) the first Vice-President or the second Vice-President shall, subject to the provisions of subsection (16) of Section 19 introduce or cause to be introduced in Parliament as soon as it meets, a resolution declaring that a state of Public Emergency exists and subject as aforesaid, no other business shall be transacted in the Parliament until that resolution has been passed or defeated; c) if the Resolution is passed by Parliament with the support of the votes of not less than two-thirds of the Members thereof a general election shall be held on the last day of the period of twelve months beginning with the date of the original dissolution of the Parliament which has been recalled or such earlier date as the President shall appoint, and the Parliament that has been recalled shall be deemed to be a Parliament for the time being and may meet and be kept in session accordingly until the date fixed for nomination of candidates in that general election and unless previously dissolved, shall then stand dissolved; d) if the resolution is defeated, or is passed with the support of the votes of less than two-thirds of the Members of Parliament or has not been put to the vote within five days after it has been introduced the Parliament that has been recalled shall then be again dissolved and a general election shall be held not later than the ninetieth day after the date of the Proclamation by which Parliament was so recalled or such earlier date as the President may by Proclamation appoint. (3) When a Parliament is recalled under this Section after having been dissolved a) the session of that Parliament held next before that dissolution; and b) the session or sessions of that Parliament held between the date of its first sitting and of the next dissolution thereafter, shall be deemed together to form one session.