Senate polls to be conducted as per ‘past practice’, ECP announces

Senate elections will be conducted on March 3, 2021, through a secret ballot due to time constrain, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided on Tuesday.

ECP announced that the polls will be held as provided in the Constitution and Law as per past practice’.

A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The meeting was attended by ECP members Justice (retd.) Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi, Justice (r)

Mrs. Irshad Qasir, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, and Nisar Ahmed Durrani.

According to the official announcement, ECP is taking all possible steps and measures to complete its constitutional duty to check that corrupt practices in the Senate polls are guarded against.

Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan announced in its opinion on the presidential reference on open Senate vote.

It said that senate elections will be held through a secret ballot.

As per the details, the majority verdict (4-1) of the apex court mentioned that election of the upper house of the parliament are held under article 226 of the constitution of Pakistan. The majority verdict of the apex court also mentioned that all institutions should assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in arranging the elections.