ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly passed on Thursday the Representation of the People Act (Amendment) Bill, 2008, which seeks to expedite the process of disposal of election petitions by barring tribunals from adjourning election petitions for more than seven days.
The bill, moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, empowers election tribunals to stop a winning candidate from performing his functions as a legislator, if the proceedings of election petition were delayed because of him.
The tribunals will issue show-cause notices to people delaying proceedings before passing such an order on its own or on application from the aggrieved party.
If a petition is not decided in four months, further adjournments sought by any party shall be given on payment of special cost of Rs10,000 for each adjournment.
If the tribunal itself would want to adjourn proceedings it would be required to record reasons for such adjournments.
Under the new amendment, the Supreme Court will decide appeals against decisions of the tribunals within 30 days.
Rising on a point of order, Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar regretted that the government had pushed through the amendment in haste by suspending the rules. Although his party voted for the bill, he asked the government to adopt proper procedures in future.
The fate of former president (retd) Gen Pervez Musharraf and National Reconciliation Ordinance promulgated by him dominated the proceedings with members belonging to different parties taking part in the discussion.
Jamshaid Dasti of the PPP welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict declaring the Nov 3 action of Gen Musharraf as illegal and unconstitutional.
He, however, called for a review of the Zafar Ali Shah case in which the Oct 12, 1999, action of Musharraf to oust an elected government had been challenged.
He pointed out that Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was part of the bench which had validated the unconstitutional act of October 1999.
He said that revisiting the case would automatically invoke Article 6 against Musharraf.
‘If you want a decision by parliament then those who supported military takeover and those who took oath under the PCO should also be booked,’ he remarked.
Ayaz Amir of the PML-N supported the idea of reviewing the case relating to the Oct 12 action of Musharraf.
‘He has raised a very pertinent and important point and we should think over it,’ Mr Amir said, adding the history of coup d’etats was sad, but contributions made by armed forces must also be acknowledged.
He said the situation in Swat and Malakand was not yet ideal but the manner in which the armed forces had conducted the operation deserved appreciation.
Amir Maquam of the PML-Q said all contentious issues, including the NRO, should be brought to parliament.
He raised the issue of killing of a protester by police in Peshawar during a protest against power shutdown and complained that the NWFP’s rural areas were experiencing severe power outages.
Sheerin Arshad of the PML-N criticised the government for not taking the issue of Musharraf’s trial seriously.
Marvi Memon of the PML-Q said that a Chinese oil refinery was winding up its business from Gwadar while the US marines were planning to land in Islamabad, raising the strength of the US embassy staff to 1,000..........
The tribunals will issue show-cause notices to people delaying proceedings before passing such an order on its own or on application from the aggrieved party.
If a petition is not decided in four months, further adjournments sought by any party shall be given on payment of special cost of Rs10,000 for each adjournment.
If the tribunal itself would want to adjourn proceedings it would be required to record reasons for such adjournments.
Under the new amendment, the Supreme Court will decide appeals against decisions of the tribunals within 30 days.
Rising on a point of order, Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar regretted that the government had pushed through the amendment in haste by suspending the rules. Although his party voted for the bill, he asked the government to adopt proper procedures in future.
The fate of former president (retd) Gen Pervez Musharraf and National Reconciliation Ordinance promulgated by him dominated the proceedings with members belonging to different parties taking part in the discussion.
Jamshaid Dasti of the PPP welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict declaring the Nov 3 action of Gen Musharraf as illegal and unconstitutional.
He, however, called for a review of the Zafar Ali Shah case in which the Oct 12, 1999, action of Musharraf to oust an elected government had been challenged.
He pointed out that Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was part of the bench which had validated the unconstitutional act of October 1999.
He said that revisiting the case would automatically invoke Article 6 against Musharraf.
‘If you want a decision by parliament then those who supported military takeover and those who took oath under the PCO should also be booked,’ he remarked.
Ayaz Amir of the PML-N supported the idea of reviewing the case relating to the Oct 12 action of Musharraf.
‘He has raised a very pertinent and important point and we should think over it,’ Mr Amir said, adding the history of coup d’etats was sad, but contributions made by armed forces must also be acknowledged.
He said the situation in Swat and Malakand was not yet ideal but the manner in which the armed forces had conducted the operation deserved appreciation.
Amir Maquam of the PML-Q said all contentious issues, including the NRO, should be brought to parliament.
He raised the issue of killing of a protester by police in Peshawar during a protest against power shutdown and complained that the NWFP’s rural areas were experiencing severe power outages.
Sheerin Arshad of the PML-N criticised the government for not taking the issue of Musharraf’s trial seriously.
Marvi Memon of the PML-Q said that a Chinese oil refinery was winding up its business from Gwadar while the US marines were planning to land in Islamabad, raising the strength of the US embassy staff to 1,000..........
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