SC issues written order of Presidential reference regarding Senate elections

ISLAMABAD (APP): The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a written order of Presidential reference seeking court’s opinion on holding Senate elections through open ballot.

On January 04, a five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Yahya Afridi, heard the reference sent by President Arif Alvi in which he sought court’s opinion under article 188 of the constitution.

In its written order, the apex court had issued notices to advocate generals, chairman Senate, speakers of the national and provincial assemblies and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The court has directed them to submit their replies in written before the apex court.

Supreme Court has also asked any other stakeholder who wanted to become part of the proceedings to submit their written recommendations within two weeks.

The hearing of the reference will be conducted on January 11.

It is worth mentioning that the government has sought opinion of the court in the reference if the issue can be decided without amending the constitution and introducing an amendment in section 122 (vi) of the Election Act 2017.