Senate elections: PBC to move SC against presidential ordinance

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Monday strongly condemned the mode and manner in which an ‘unconstitutional ordinance’ had been issued by the government.

In a meeting held here with Muhammad Faheem Wali in the chair, the committee observed that the ordinance was apparently an endeavour to control and manipulate the forthcoming Senate elections in disregard for all legal principles and ethics.

“Such an act is a blatant violation of the constitutional norms, morality and democratic values, which is also in conflict with the provisions of the Constitution, particularly its Article 226,” the PBC Executive Committee said.

The meeting passed a resolution stating that under the provisions of the Constitution, it was mandatory to hold the Senate elections through the secret ballot but the issuance of unconstitutional ordinance bypassing the Parliament and more particularly when the Presidential Reference earlier filed by the government was pending adjudication with the Supreme Court, was a glaring violation of the Constitution, amounting to mutilation and abrogation of the Constitution.

The committee said it was dismayed by the absolute mala fide and unconstitutional move of the government, which not only amounted to influence the Supreme Court in adjudicating the Presidential Reference, but also undermine the independence of the judiciary.

The meeting decided that the PBC vice chairman will immediately file a constitutional petition with the Supreme Court under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution to challenge the issuance of Election (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.