Vote rejection in Senate chairman poll: PDM may take matter to apex court

ISLAMABAD: It is not an extraordinary matter that there were seven votes rejected in the election of Senate chairman. There are many precedents in the past. The conduct of presiding officer is a matter of great concern. Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah is a seasoned politician and parliamentarian, who was once the former Sindh chief minister as well as speaker provincial assembly. The matter is not yet over with the rejection of seven votes. Many of opposition members were still hopeful about a new turn as this matter will soon be dragged in courts. There are many precedents of past that during the elections of chairman and deputy chairman elections when votes were rejected as well as declared accepted with wrong placing of stamp on ballot paper.

In 1997, Wasim Sajjad was contesting fourth term as Senate chairman and Barrister Masood Kausar was contesting against him. Wasim Sajjad’s 18 votes were rejected at that time and he won the elections and he held the election of deputy chairman Senate election.

Humayun Mari, son-in-law of Akbar Bugti was candidate of deputy chairman at that time. His 18 votes were also rejected, but Wasim Sajjad had declared the 18 votes as accepted and had given the ruling that rejected votes were showing the intentions of the voters. The Senate Secretariat must hold the record. This question is also important that whether the ruling of Presiding Officer Muzaffar Hussain Shah can be challenged or not. Election of chairman and deputy chairman Senate falls in the internal proceeding of Parliament under Article 69. According to experts the PDM leadership may approach apex court under Article 184 (3).