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President Alvi signs Election Ordinance 2021

“Govt will take all possible measures to ensure transparency in Senate polls”

by
Asad Umar Shibli Faraz

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz held a joint press conference with Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar here on Tuesday (today).

Asad Umar says the government will take every possible measure, within the Constitution, to ensure transparency in the upcoming Senate elections and to end horse-trading in the polling process.

Regarding the stance of the Opposition towards the introduction of open-ballot voting in the Senate, he said that those who have been buying and selling votes in the past are the ones objecting to the move.

“It is no secret that buying and selling of votes have been a tradition in Senate elections,” he said, adding that the PTI came to power with the aim to eradicate corrupt practices from the country, such as the tradition of horse-trading in Senate elections.

“For the purpose, the government has tabled a Constitutional amendment in the National Assembly to hold Senate elections through an open-ballot voting system,” he said.

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Shah Mahmood claims, “PM Imran wants to end corrupt practices”

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FM Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has on Sunday said that the government wants to hold the Senate elections through open ballot to maintain transparency and end horse trading.

Talking to media in Multan on Sunday, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to end corrupt practices.

The Foreign Minister said the ruling party is lacking a majority for constitutional changes and it has tabled the bill seeking the support of opposition as per their promise in Charter of Democracy signed by PPP and PML-N.

He said the government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a constitutional interpretation.

The government will welcome the verdict of the court on the matter, he added.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed the hope that the forthcoming newly elected senators will play their role in strengthening the country.

Earlier on Saturday, President Dr Arif Alvi had signed the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 for Senate elections to be held via an “open and identifiable ballot”.

The Ordinance will be effective with immediate effect subject to the interpretation of the Supreme Court on Presidential reference already sub-judice in the apex court.

The amendment has been introduced in section 33, 86 and 122 of the Election Act 2017.

Under the new ordinance, the election for Senate will be held on 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 the 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,” reads the Ordinance.

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Open balloting will ensure transparency in Senate Elections: FM Qureshi

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Senate Elections

In order to ensure transparency and end horse-trading, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday said that the government wants that the upcoming Senate polls should be held through open ballot instead of the secret ballot.

Speaking to media officials, FM Qureshi said that they wanted that horse-trading, corrupt practices, trade of loyalty amid Senate elections should be ended.

There was a clear contradiction between the words and deeds of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), he added.

The foreign minister said that PML-N and PPP had sighed the charter of democracy but now both the parties have backtracked from the contract.

Earlier in a day, President Dr Arif Alvi has signed the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 for Senate elections to be held via an “open and identifiable ballot”.

The Ordinance will be effective with immediate effect subject to the interpretation of the Supreme Court on Presidential reference already sub-judice in the apex court.

The amendment has been introduced in section 33, 86 and 122 of the Election Act 2017.

Under the new ordinance, the election for Senate will be held on the open ballot.

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President Alvi signs ordinance for Senate elections to be held on open ballot

by
President signs Election Ordinance 2021

President Dr Arif Alvi has on Saturday signed the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 for Senate elections to be held via an “open and identifiable ballot”.

The Ordinance will be effective with immediate effect subject to the interpretation of the Supreme Court on Presidential reference already sub-judice in the apex court.

The amendment has been introduced in section 33, 86 and 122 of the Election Act 2017.

Under the new ordinance, the election for Senate will be held on 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 the 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,” reads the Ordinance.

According to Section 226 of the Constitution: “All elections under the Constitution, other than those of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, shall be by secret ballot”.

Furthermore, the Ordinance states that after the Senate polls, if the head of a political party wishes to see the ballot cast by any member of his party, the Election Commission of Pakistan shall show them the same.

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