ISLAMABAD: The term of half of the Senate membership, or 48 of the 96 senators, stands reduced by four weeks – from 8 April 2030 to 11 March 2030— in the light of a notification issued by the electoral body on Friday. In the 27th Constitutional Amendment passed by the Parliament last month, an explanation was inserted in the Article 59 (3) of the Constitution of Pakistan regarding the expiration of the term of the senators. This explanation provided that the term of senators, notwithstanding the date of their election, shall expire on the 11th March of the year of the completion of term for which they are elected. Pursuant to this insertion, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notified on Friday that the term of 48 senators would expire on 11 March 2030. Under Section 129 of the Elections Act, 2017, the term of office of a senator shall commence on the date of the first meeting of the Senate held after the names of the persons elected to the Senate are notified by the ECP. Keeping this Section in view, the term of 48 senators began on 9 April 2024, which was to end on 8 April 2030, has now been reduced to 11 March 2030, in accordance with the insertion of explanation in the Article 59(3) in the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The term of the other 48 senators would expire on 11 March 2027, keeping in view that their term began on 12 March 2021. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026