Former secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Kunwar Dilshad said on Friday that the government does not have the constitutional legitimacy to suggest the Election Commission of Pakistan to change the Senate election dates.
"The country's law specifies that Senate elections are to be held between February 11 and March 11," he remarked in a media briefing.
According to sources, he added that the federal government's decision to introduce an "open voting" system in the upcoming Senate elections is too late. The government's decision to opt for a show of hands procedure in the elections will violate Article 226 of the Constitution., he added.
"This logic of [introducing show of hands in Senate elections]put forward by the Attorney General would open a Pandora's box," the former secretary of the ECP said.
"The Supreme Court could give its opinion on the matter, however, it does not have the power to change the law related to Senate elections," Dilshad asserted.
On December 15, the government decided to hold Senate elections in February instead of March 2021.
Moreover, addressing a post-cabinet meeting press conference, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said that the PTI-led government is striving to make the Senate elections free and fair.
"Controversies have always surrounded the Senate elections. It is such an old practice that it is assumed that in the elections, [horse trading] will surely take place," he ascertained.
