What is the procedure of stamping a ballot paper in Senate elections?

Following Sadiq Sanjrani's victory as Senate chairman for the second time after defeating Opposition candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani, people are wondering what the procedure of stamping the ballot paper during Senate polls is.

The curiosity arose after eight votes — including seven in Gillani's favour — were rejected.

Outlined below is how the Upper House lawmakers were required to cast their vote for the chairman.

- Lawmakers should stamp the box in which their favoured candidates' names appear on the ballot paper. (The controversy is mainly over this point, as the Opposition has argued that the stamp can be placed anywhere in the box — including on the name of the candidate — while the government has argued that the stamp needs to be placed in front of the candidate's name, not on it.) 

- While folding the ballot paper, lawmakers have to exercise caution so that the ink does not spread to the candidate other than the one chosen. In the event the mark appears on the other candidate's box as well, the vote will be rejected.

- Taking photos or showing the ballot paper to anyone is prohibited.

- When folding the ballot paper, be careful the official stamp on the back of the ballot paper is clearly visible.

- As the lawmaker comes out of the booth, they should drop their vote in the box on the Senate secretary's table.

There is a significant difference between the instructions pasted in the Senate hall (as seen in the picture shared above by PML-N leader Parvaiz Rasheed) and the procedure notified by the election presiding officer before the election commenced. 

The Presiding Officer, Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, had announced before the election that the stamp has to be placed in the box in front of the candidate's name on the ballot paper.