Govt does not have constitutional legitimacy to change Senate election dates, says ex-ECP official
Kunwar Dilshad said that introducing show of hands in Senate is a violation of Constitution
December 18, 2020
- Former secretary of ECP said the government does not have the constitutional legitimacy to change election dates
- Introducing a show of hands in the election violates the Constitution of Pakistan: Kunwar Dilshad
- The decision will open a Pandora's box: Kunwar Dilshad
KARACHI: Former secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Kunwar Dilshad on Friday said that the government does not have the constitutional legitimacy to give an opinion to the Election Commission 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 said while speaking on Geo News.
Related: Raza Rabbani says only ECP can decide date of elections, terms Cabinet's move illegal
Commenting on the federal government's decision to introduce an "open voting" system in the upcoming Senate elections, Kunwar Dilshad said that it is too late for the government to opt for a show of hands procedure in the elections, adding that the process will violate Article 226 of the Constitution.
"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.
Read more: Senate elections: PM Imran Khan's legal team say Opposition's resignations don't matter
"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.
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 said.
