Senate (Election) Act, 1975 (Repeal by No.F.8 (9)/2017 dated,23-10-2017)

This 1975 Act formerly governed how elections to Pakistan's Senate were conducted, but it has since been repealed (per Notification No. F.8(9)/2017 dated 23 October 2017), so it is no longer in force and is included here mainly for historical and legal-research context.

While it applied, the Act set up the administrative machinery for Senate elections: the Election Commissioner organised and conducted elections (Section 3) with the help of Returning Officers, polling stations, and Polling Officers (Sections 5-8). Chapter III governed the actual conduct of an election -- supplying voter lists, notifying the election, accepting nominations, requiring a deposit from candidates, scrutinizing nomination papers, and allowing withdrawal of candidacy, through to the actual polling and declaration of results (Sections 9-26). Voters under this Act were members of the Provincial Assemblies, since Senate seats are filled indirectly rather than by direct public vote (Section 2(q)).

Chapter IV regulated election expenses and required candidates to file a return of what they spent (Sections 27-30). Chapter V set up a system for challenging election results through an election petition heard by a specially appointed Tribunal, with detailed rules on procedure, evidence, and the grounds on which a result could be declared void (Sections 31-57). Chapter VI defined election-related offences -- corrupt practice, bribery, personation (impersonating another voter), undue influence, and interference with the secrecy of voting -- and gave police certain powers to act on them (Sections 58-76), though the extract does not specify the actual penalty amounts or prison terms attached to these offences. Chapter VII addressed casual vacancies and disqualification from membership (Sections 77-80).

Because this Act has been repealed, none of its provisions can be relied on for current Senate election procedures -- readers should consult whatever law or Elections Act currently governs Senate elections in Pakistan instead.