Mian Raza Rabbani opposes open voting in Senate on technical grounds

ISLAMABAD: Former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani opposed the government move on a constitutional amendment for election in Senate through show of hands on technical ground and suggested that instead of open vote, the name of the voter as a member of the provincial assembly be written on the ballot paper. He said that during the previous session of the National Assembly, a government bill namely, “The Constitution (Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2020, hereinafter referred to as, “the Bill” was introduced and referred to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice.

That, “the Bill” seeks to amend Article 59, Constitution, 1973, to the extent of, in clause (2) of the said Article, replacing the word “transferable” with the word “open”,” he said. Senator Raza Rabbani, while talking to The News, said one might not have qualms with the object, to the extent of transparent elections, but in essence the amendment to Article 59 as stipulated in “the Bill”, shall change the entire scheme of the Constitution, 1973, in as much as, it deals with and pertains to the composition and complexion of the Senate of Pakistan.