It is understood that no one in the party spoke against or for the motion at the first meeting of the PLP after the summer recess.
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He acknowledged the move would take some control away from the victor of the party’s leadership contest, to be announced on September 24.
Pontypridd MP Mr Smith said he was ready to “look very carefully” at the reintroduction of measure, arguing that it could help create a “sense of shared ownership” of the shadow cabinet by all Labour MPs.
MPs will vote on the suggestion tomorrow, with the result expected shortly after 5pm.
His comments come a day after a Survation poll showed that Corbyn is 64 points less popular than May – with the Prime Minister ahead in every voter age group.
The vote is not binding, and must be agreed by both the party’s ruling National Executive Committee and the Labour Party Conference, to take place later this month in Liverpool.
It now means 84 per cent of Labour’s constituency parties have backed Mr Corbyn to remain as leader, with just 16 per cent backing Mr Smith.
Mr Corbyn said: “UB40’s story was and remains inspiring; people from across cultures and backgrounds coming together and combining their talents – in a time when prejudice was more prevalent – and creativity to produce music that has endured across decades”.
Jeremy Corbyn hit out when shadow cabinet elections were scrapped in 2011.
“In the only sit-down, casual interview I have seen with Jeremy Corbyn, he talks about his allotment and making jam”, he said. “It increases the power of patronage, it reduces the accountability of the leader to Labour MPs”.
But crucially, Mr Corbyn received far higher support than his rival among Labour supporters, receiving 41.4% favourable ratings compared with Mr Smith’s 23.7%.
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A spokesman for Mr Corbyn suggested the party could consider giving members a vote on the make-up of the shadow cabinet.
