ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP): The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned hearing of the presidential reference seeking an opinion on open balloting for the upcoming Senate elections till Monday.
A five-member SC larger bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Yahya Afridi heard the reference. During the course of proceedings, the counsel for the Election Commission submitted a copy of the code of conduct for voters. Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Raza Rabbani, while starting arguments in his personal capacity, said the main purpose of Senate’s creation was federalism. Founder of Pakistan Qauid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had also raised the point of federalism in his 14-points, he added. He said smaller political parties with four provincial seats were also represented in the Senate. The idea of a single transferable vote was introduced to give smaller political parties a chance to have their opinion in the federation, he added.
He said a party having three or four members in the Balochistan Assembly had two senators. “We have to keep in mind the composition and purpose of the Senate,” he added. He said majority of the people was represented in the National Assembly, and the Federation of Pakistan in the Senate. It could be seen in the House of Lords and the House of Commons (of Britain). The House of Commons had public representation, he added. He said the court must look for a solution to the problem in the Constitution.
