Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked on Thursday that the Senate is a “mature and serious forum” that “needs secrecy to perform its functions.”
The chief justice was hearing a case related to the presidential reference seeking Senate elections via open ballot, a process which would end secret voting.
The chief justice added that there is a need to “remain cognisant of corrupt practices entering the Upper House.”
Arguing during the hearing, Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan said that “whoever comes on a provincial assembly party ticket should vote according to party policy as the political party is accountable to the people.”
Responding to the attorney general, the chief justice said that “democracy is not visible even in political parties.”
“Parties should also adopt a democratic attitude within themselves – the head of a political party should not be a dictator,” he maintained.
The SC bench, headed by CJP Gulzar Ahmed, heard the case while the AGP argued on the government’s behalf.
“The court has to give its opinion on whether the constitution needs to be amended or not to change the secret balloting method,” the CJP had said.
