ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) is likely to wrap up the hearing of the presidential reference on the Senate polls by open balloting on Wednesday (tomorrow). The court also rejected the attorney general’s request to not hear arguments of bar councils.
Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed headed the five-member bench and said in his remarks that proceedings over the reference are to be finalized keeping track of the time. The CJP said constitutions of Pakistan and Ireland concerning elections are alike as both countries follow secret balloting.
PPP lawyer Raza Rabbani argued that the sanctity of secret balloting is intact in Ireland. He said proportional representation in the Senate does not mean equal majority compared to the Lower House as the number of seats can vary according to the system. The member who receives money commits corruption beforehand, he said while adding that the law will come into force if horse-trading is done.
The apex court directed PPP counsels Raza Rabbani and Farooq H. Naik, PML-N’s Barrister Zafarullah, the Pakistan Bar Council and the Sindh Bar Council to conclude arguments in half hour on Wednesday and adjourned the hearing.
Read more: Democracy to remain a pipe-dream till voting method changed: SCP
