JUI-F challenges presidential ordinance issued for open Senate vote in SC.

ISLAMABAD -- Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has challenged the Election Amendment Ordinance 2021 pertaining to the issue of holding Senate elections through open ballot in Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Monday.

The presidential ordinance has been challenged through former president supreme court bar association Kamran Murtaza Advocate and Barrister Jehangir Khan Jadoon Advocate.

JUI-F in its plea, termed the presidential ordinance as irrational and unconstitutional and said that the ordinance was borne out of malicious intent. The plea, while requesting the apex court to declare the ordinance null and void, argued that the step of government sabotages autonomy of Supreme Court of Pakistan and Parliament.

The petition urges the apex court to take notice of the issuance of the presidential ordinance. According to the petition, the said ordinance 'undermines the judicial proceeding on a pending matter'.

It further appeals to the top court to 'declare that the said Ordinance is issued with mala- fide intent and declare it as an attempt to undermine the judicial proceedings and parliament, and declare it as illogical, irrational, ultra vires to the Constitution, void and having no effect on Senate Election in the interest of justice.'

Earlier on Saturday, President Dr. Arif Alvi signed the Election Amendment Ordinance 2021 to hold Senate elections through open ballot.

However, the newly issued ordinance has been made subject to the Supreme Court of Pakistan's opinion on the Presidential Reference.

Under the ordinance, section 122 of the Election Act 2017 has been amended. The...