ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party has filed a plea with the Supreme Court of Pakistan against a presidential reference seeking advice on open ballot for the upcoming Senate elections.
The petition was filed by PPP Secretary and former senator Farhatullah Babar in the apex court. The petition pleaded the apex court to send back the presidential reference and hold the Senate elections under the constitution, saying a bill of 26th Constitutional Amendment has been pending in the parliament.
According to the petition, the government has changed its stance after failing to amend the constitution. It said the government has filed the presidential reference to achieve its political objectives.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed is hearing the presidential reference seeking advice from the top court on holding Senate elections through an open ballot.
While hearing the presidential reference on Monday, the court summoned the Chief Election Commissioner and the members of the election commission. The court also asked the election commission to present a scheme to eradicate any malpractices in the election of the upper house.
Earlier, the PPP had filed an application in the apex court through Nayyar Hussain Bukhari to become a party in the presidential reference.
The federal government had filed the presidential reference and had sought the opinion of Supreme Court on holding the upcoming elections for the Senate through open ballot.
