Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani has backed the presidential reference seeking the opinion of the Supreme Court about holding Senate polls via ‘open ballot’.

In his reply submitted in the apex court, the chairman said that Senate polls are held through secret ballot as per the Election Act 2017.

According to article 226 all elections under the Constitution, other than those of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, shall be by secret ballot, Sanjrani stated in his written reply.

The court has always interpreted the constitution of the country by keeping the public interest in view.

“The Parliament has the prerogative to make amendments in the law, while the Supreme Court has right to interpret the constitution,” he wrote.

Sanjrani maintained that elected representatives are bound to party discipline and those voting against the party in the Senate polls should have the courage to do it openly.

Last week, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had opposed holding senate polls through open ballot.

It is to be mentioned here that the federal government has moved Supreme Court to seek its opinion over holding Senate elections through open ballot.