ISLAMABAD: The draw of lots for the determination of 50 per cent vacant seats of Senate would be conducted by Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar in the Parliament House at 10am on Monday (today). All the members of the Senate, including its chairman Muhammadmian Soomro will have to rely on balloting for determination whether they will retire on March 11, 2006 after completion of three years or continue to complete their 6-year term. However, the fate of two members from Islamabad is pre-destined in the law. Wasim Sajjad, the leader of the house, will have to retire on March 11 while a woman senator, Tahira Latif, is lucky enough to safe her seat for another three years. The names of these two members will not be included in the draw. Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, the Election Commission secretary, has said in pursuance of sub section 1 of Section 82A of the Senate Elections Act, 1975 the chief election commissioner will divide the members elected to the Senate from the Federal Capital, the Federally Administered Tribal Area, the Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP into two groups. The first group will have its tenure of three years term and the second group will continue to complete its six-year term. The official further said half of the Senators who will retire after the completion of three year terms before March 13, 2006 as a result of proposed drawing of lots. Among the 50 vacant seats, there would be 11 each from every province including two reserved seats for ulema or technocrat and two reserved seats for women from each province. Moreover there would be 4 general seats from FATA and two seats from Federal Capital (one for ulema and one for women). Entire process would be conducted in the presence of Senate members or their representatives. It would also be open for media. “It is a constitutional and legal requirement that half of the present Senators would cease to be the members of the Senate as a result of this draw,” the official said.