By Our Web Desk
Sadiq Sanjrani of ruling coalition has emerged as the winner of the Senate chairman election, defeating Opposition candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani.
Amid a raging controversy over the alleged sale and purchase of votes and allegations flying thick and heavy between the Opposition and the government, the knife-edge elections for the posts of Senate chairman and deputy chairman were held today (Friday).
Polling for the Senate chairman’s post started at 3:00pm, presided over by officials from the Senate Secretariat. The process of voting completed at 4:40 pm, but counting started after the official time, i.e. 5:00pm.
Earlier in the day, the newly-elected members of the Upper House had taken their oath of office shortly after the session began at 10:00am.
PTI’s Sadiq Sanjrani and Mirza Muhammad Afridi, and the joint opposition’s Yousaf Raza Gillani and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri are contesting for the slots of Senate chairman and deputy chairman, respectively.
Celebrations began in Sanjrani’s native Chaghi district. His supporters and BAP workers took to streets with flags and chanted slogans in favour of the newly elected Senate chairman.
PPP to challenge Sanjrani’s victory
The Pakistan Peoples Party has decided to challenge Sadiq Sanjrani’s victory in an election tribunal. The votes should not have been rejected, party leaders said.
Farooq H Naek said the instructions didn’t say where exactly the vote should be stamped or that it should be inside the box.
The party has two options, according to PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. It can either challenge Sanjrani’s victory in court or bring a no-confidence motion against him.
“We reject this election,” Raja Pervez Ashraf said. “The PDM rejects this election.”
Ashraf was speaking to reporters along with PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal and PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira.
Voting procedure
Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah, who is presiding over the special session, explained the voting procedure to the senators.
He said that ballot papers have been printed in Urdu. The names of the candidates are in Urdu and there is a box next to it.
The senators will have to stamp the ballot paper in the booth. “If there is any mistake, then approach the secretary and he will ensure that you are issued another ballot paper.”
He advised the senators to fold the ballot properly to make sure that the ink does not spread and it leads to their vote not being counted.
The names of the senators will be called out in alphabetical order and they must then approach the Senate secretary. They will be handed a green ballot paper. “The green ballot paper is for the Senate chairman.”
Senators cannot carry their mobile phones, cameras, or any electronic device to the polling booth.
Spy camera controversy
The PPP senators staged a protest before the session started. They claimed that spy cameras have been installed over polling booths.
“There is no provision in the rules for putting cameras at the polling stations,” Senator Raza Rabbani remarked. It is against the Constitution, it is against Article 226, it is against the reference that you moved in the Supreme Court which held that balloting will be closed, he added.
Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah, who is presiding over the special session, assured the opposition senators that “polling booths will be constructed afresh to the satisfaction of the opposition and government”.
He asked the senators to take their seats, adding that Rule 9 says that no other business shall be transacted on the day of special sittings. Oath will be administered to new members and the election for chairman and deputy chairman will be held.
