Presidential reference: SC to give opinion regarding open ballot for Senate polls on Monday

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan will issue its verdict regarding the presidential reference seeking an open-ballot voting system in Senate elections on Monday, ARY News reported.

A five-judge, larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed will announce the verdict on Monday.

In this connection, a notice has been issued to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Pakistan Bar Council, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser.

The top court had reserved its decision on the matter on Thursday.

During the last hearing, CJP Justice Gulzar Ahmed questioned the submission of instructions to voters in Senate polls by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The lawyer representing ECP had informed the top court that copies of the instructions issued to voters have been submitted.

PPP counsel Raza Rabbani initiated the arguments and said he has appeared in the court in his personal capacity alongside representing the political party.

Read: Presidential Reference: SC summons CEC with plan to curb election graft

The counsel said that the federal government is trying to creating an impression as the case was about the jurisdiction of 3/184. The establishment of Senate aims to give equal representation to the provinces, said Raza Rabbani, adding that in a parliamentary system, running businesses in both Houses are not possible.

Earlier, the PPP had filed an application in the apex court through Nayyar Hussain Bukhari to become a party in the presidential reference, praying to answer the reference in negative.

Read: Presidential Reference: SC summons CEC with plan to curb election graft

The federal government had filed the presidential reference on December 23 in court, had sought the opinion of the Supreme Court on holding the upcoming elections for the Senate through the open ballot.

The presidential reference was submitted by the Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan after approved by President Arif Alvi under Article 186 of the Constitution.