A constitutional petition requesting the Supreme Court for a stay order on Senate elections scheduled to be held next month was filed here on Friday, stating that around 70 incumbent parliamentarians who would be voting in the election did not hold valid degrees, thus stood disqualified. The petition was filed by Mubashir Luqman, a TV anchor, through lawyer Syed Ali Zafar under Article 184(3) of the constitution, making the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the federation respondents. The petitioner asked the court to direct the ECP secretary not to hold Senate elections scheduled to be held in March. He also asked the court to order that all the MNAs and MPAs who held fake degrees stood disqualified from holding their posts and new MNAs and MPAs be elected in their place in accordance with law. The petitioner asked the court further to order new by-elections in accordance with the finalised and valid voter lists in 29 constituencies where previously void by-elections (under bogus voters list) were held. “Any election held to the Senate on the basis of existing MNAs and MPAs, which includes fake degree holders, and those who are elected through void by-elections would therefore not be a valid election under the law and would lead to a blatant violation of the constitution,” the petitioner maintained.
SC moved to halt Senate elections
