Article 271: First National Assembly

1. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, but subject to Article 63, Article 64 andArticle223,-

a. the first National Assembly shall consist of-

i. persons who have taken oath in the National Assembly of Pakistan existing immediately before the commencing day; and

ii. the persons to be elected in accordance with law by the members of the Assembly to fill the seats referred to in clause (2A) of Article 51, and, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue until the fourteenth day of August, one thousand nine hundred and seventy-seven; and reference to "total membership" of the National Assembly in the Constitution shall be construed accordingly;

b. the qualifications and disqualifications for being elected and being a member of the first National Assembly shall, except in case of members filling casual vacancies, or to be elected to the additional seats referred to in clause (2A) of Article 51, after the commencing day, be the same as under the Interim Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:

Provided that no person holding an office of profit in the service of Pakistan shall continue to be a member of the first National Assembly after the expiration of three months from the commencing day.

2. If a person referred to in paragraph (a) of clause (1) is, immediately before the commencing day, also a member of a Provincial Assembly, he shall not take a seat in the National Assembly or the Provincial Assembly until he resigns one of his seats.

3. A casual vacancy in a seat in the first National Assembly, including a vacancy in a seat in the National Assembly of Pakistan existing before the commencing day which was not filled before that day, caused by reason of death or resignation of a member or consequent upon his incurring a disqualification or ceasing to be a member as a result of the final decision of an election petition may be filled in the same manner in which it would have been filled before the commencing day.

4. A person referred to in paragraph (a) of clause (1) shall not sit or vote in the National Assembly until he has made the oath prescribed by Article 65 and, if, without the leave of the Speaker of the National Assembly granted on reasonable cause shown, he fails to make the oath within twenty-one days from the day of the first meeting of the Assembly, his seat shall become vacant at the expiration of that period.