Govt promulgates ordinance for balloting in Senate polls

President of Pakistanm Dr Arif Alvi has on Saturday signed off an Election Amendment Ordinance 2021, because of which  Senate elections could be held through open balloting this year.

The ordinance will become effective with immediate effect and will be subject to the outcome of a presidential reference wherein the federal government has sought opinion from the Supreme Court, if the Senate elections could be held through open ballot without any constitutional amendment.

This amendment has been introduced in section 33, 86 and 122 of the Election Act 2017.

The ordinance was shared by Information Minister Shibli Faraz on Twitter, and stated that: “Senate and National Assembly are not in session and the president is satisfied that circumstances exist which render the ordinance necessary to take immediate action.”