ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) central spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday said that the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold the March 3 Senate polls “as per past practice” was in line with the Constitution.
The commission earlier today announced the election to the Upper House will be held “as provided in the Constitution and law”, a day after the Supreme Court (SC) directed it to hold the Senate elections through a secret vote.
Responding to the ECP’s statement, the PML-N leader said that the “fake leaders” should now start preparations to go back home.
Those involved in sugar, wheat, and electricity scandals should take some rest, she said.
The Supreme Court (SC), while announcing its verdict on a presidential reference seeking legal opinion on the holding of Senate election through a show of hands, had in 4-1 majority opinion ruled the elections will be held through a secret ballot.
In a late night statement, the ECP said it held a meeting on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja which “deliberated on the order/opinion of the Supreme Court passed today [Monday] in presidential reference No. 1/2020 and decided to implement it in letter and spirit.”
The top court, in the eight-page verdict, had said: “It is the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly, and in accordance with [the] law and that corrupt practices are guarded against.”
The commission — while observing it was already taking all possible steps to curtail corruption in the elections for the House — said that a detailed order from the court was still awaited.
