President Dr Arif Alvi Saturday signed an ordinance amending the Election Act 2017 to provide for holding the Senate election through the open ballot.
Through Election (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the president amended subsection VI of section 122 of the Election Act 2017, according to the President House statement.
The ordinance will come into force if the Supreme Court, hearing Reference No. 1 of 2021, opined that the matter was not in its purview. In such a case, the Senate election scheduled in March this year would be held through the open ballot.
“Provided that in case the Supreme Court of Pakistan gives an opinion in Reference No 1 of 2021 filed under Article 186 of the Constitution that elections for the members of Senate do not fall within the purview of Article 226 of the Constitution, the poll for elections for members of the Senate to be held in March 2021 and thereafter shall be conducted by the Commission through the open and identifiable ballot,” the ordinance says.
Moreover, according to the Ordinance, the Election Commission would show the ballot the political party it requests for the same after the election.
“Provided further that after the elections for members of Senate, if the head of the political party requests the Commission to show the ballot cast by any voting member of his party, the Commission shall show the same to the head of the political party or his nominee,” according to the document.
