Senate Chairman throws weight behind open ballot

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Friday said openness and transparency in the Senate elections is in the larger national interest in his reply to the Supreme Court over the presidential reference calling for holding open ballots in the forthcoming polls.

The institution (Senate) believes that the interpretation of constitutional terms or provisions, which promotes public welfare, democracy and fairness in the election process is the demand of all the stakeholders, he added.

Sanjrani said: “Article 59 of the Constitution provides for composition and term of office for the Senate but it is silent on how the elections to elect members of the Senate will be held.”It is the prerogative of the Parliament to amend Articles 59, 63 and 226 of the Constitution but at the same time it is also the prerogative of the apex court to interpret provisions of the Constitution, he added.

The Senate chairman said it is the consensus among all the stakeholders, including parliamentarians, political parties, intelligentsia , journalists and civil society that free and fair elections to elect members of the Senate will promote transparency and accountability in the electoral process, acknowledge respect for will of the voters, strengthen political parties and their discipline, which was essential for parliamentary democracy.

“However, the nature of elections direct or indirect determines the right to vote. In direct elections secret voting is the fundamental principle whereas if the elections are indirect then electorates are bound to follow party lines.

“If one wants to exercise his/her vote in a free manner, he/she should have courage and stand up to say to whom he/she wants to give vote and then face the consequences.”

Sanjrani said pursuant to the Senate Elections held in March 2015, the issue of rigging and floor crossing came to the limelight, which led to the debate regarding mode of elections of members of the Senate.

The House constituted a committee to consider the mode of elections of Upper House, pros and cons of the single transferable voting system, poll reforms and other ancillary matters. The committee recommended a mechanism of printing the name of the voter on the ballot paper and giving authority to the party head to seek details after the election, he added. The report of the committee was already annexed with the reference filed by the President, he said.

Most importantly, he said, the Election Commission of Pakistan was constitutionally charged with the responsibility of holding elections honestly, fairly, and in accordance with law, a task which cannot possibly be performed unless and until constitutional and legal framework for elections is comprehensible, logical and consistent with the best international standards especially with regard to elections of the Upper House.