ISLAMABAD: A legislative body of the Upper House of parliament on Wednesday decided to expedite the amendment consideration process and hold frequent meetings so that the amendments to the Elections Bill 2017 could be passed as early as possible and be implemented in the general elections next year.
The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice held its meeting at the Parliament House to discuss several amendments to the Elections Bill 2017 proposed by senators Azam Khan Swati, Ayesha Raza Farooq and Murtaza Wahab. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Javed Abbasi and attended among others by senators Azam Swati, Ayesha Raza, Murtaza Wahab, Sassui Palejo, Mukhtar Dhamra, Saleem Zia, Saifullah Magsi and Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid.
The amendments discussed in the meeting included administrative and technical amendments as well as replacement of certain words and phrases to make the intention and purpose of the sections clear. The members discussed whether the column asking for education details should remain part of the nomination papers; whether wealth statement form should be added in addition to the assets and liabilities form; whether individuals with invalid/expired CNICs be allowed to cast their votes; what should be the mechanism if two candidates request the same electoral symbol; and whether delay in electoral process at a polling station should result in time extension to that polling station or whole constituency, among other matters.
The bill would be discussed in the next meeting again to consider the remaining amendments proposed by the senators.
The committee chairperson and members praised the efforts of the minister, all political parties whose legislators were part of the committee, Election Commission of Pakistan, NADRA and all other stakeholders involved in drafting of this law, and termed it a landmark piece of legislation after the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The status of The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016, introduced by senators Sassui Palijo and Mukhtiar Ahmed Dhamra, was also discussed. Committee Chairman Javed Abbasi, after hearing the movers and committee members, decided that the matter would be referred to the Senate chairman who would hear the movers and then decide the matter.
The committee deferred The Public Interest Disclosures Bill, 2017, introduced by Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid, until the next meeting to let the members of the committee be in a better position to comment on the bill.
Published in Daily Times, September 7th 2017.
