ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Sindh, KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan, and Islamabad advocate-generals, speakersof all provincial assemblies, and Election Commission in the presidentialreference on holding Senate elections through an open ballot.

Attorney-General Khalid Jawed Khan filed the reference on December 23asking for the top court’s opinion on the open voting.

A five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard thereference on Monday. The attorney-general should present his arguments,said Justice Yahya Afridi. “Please tell us why the court should intervenein this matter.”

Earlier, the federal government filed a reference in the Supreme Courtasking for its opinion on holding an open ballot for the upcoming Senateelections.

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal government filed areference in the Supreme Court (SC) under Article 186 of the Constitution.

The government has also sought opinion of the court if the issue can bedecided without amending the constitution and introducing amendment insection 122 (vi) of the Election Act 2017.

In an important development to hold the Senate elections through openballot, President Dr Arif Alvi has on Wednesday signed a presidentialreference seeking guidance of the Supreme Court (SC) over the matter. Theattorney general filed the reference on Wednesday.

The reference said that the chances of horse-trading increases in secretballots, adding that it hampers the country’s democratic processes.

The reference will be heard by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed after theRegistrar’s Office finds it maintainable.