On Wednesday, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs has approved the bill to amend the Election Act to ban independent members from joining a party after the prescribed period.
National Assembly In the meeting presided over by Chairman of Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs Rana Aradat Sharif, the bill to amend the Election Act 2017 was considered, during which bitter sentences were also exchanged between the opposition member of the National Assembly Ali Muhammad Khan and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazir Tarar. happened
Ali Muhammad Khan said this is not a government bill but a private member’s bill. On which Azam Nazir Tarar said, ‘Don’t regulate, you have started speaking in the middle.’ On this, Ali Muhammad Khan said that he could not advocate for him.
“If I am satisfied, I will advocate for them, you cannot dictate to me,” said the Parliamentary Affairs Minister.
Ali Muhammad Khan said, ‘You also have no right to bulldoze.’
The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs said, ‘Courts interpret the law. Members have to join a political party within three days, contest free elections and once you join a political party, your party will remain the same, it is not possible to change it. The joining of the political party shall be once and shall be irrevocable. We cannot allow any body to rewrite the constitution.’
Later Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazir Tarar supported the bill.
It should be noted that this bill is about the amendment of the Election Act regarding the prohibition of independent members from joining a party after a specified period.
Earlier, on July 12, the Supreme Court declared PTI eligible for reserved seats and decided that reserved seats should be given to independent members after joining PTI. “PTI should submit the list (to the Election Commission) for the specific seats within 15 days and clarify which party participated in the elections.”
Member of National Assembly Bilal Azhar Kayani, who introduced the bill, while briefing the Standing Committee, said, ‘If a party does not submit lists for certain seats, it cannot be entitled to seats after the election. If you join a party, it is irrevocable.’
Ali Muhammad Khan raised the question and said, ‘Do you want to implement this in the future? Will this bill be applied from today or will it be applied even before today?’
The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs said that these amendments are in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution.
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Ali Muhammad Khan asked again, ‘Is this giving a good color to the constitution of Pakistan? If the decision is against, then we bring amendments against these decisions? Tomorrow we will have a government again, these traditions are very wrong. what Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Was the election mark on the ballot paper?’
Ali Muhammad Khan said that within three days he could have joined as an independent candidate but Election Commission Said this option is not available. In this case, this three-day period has started since the decision of the Supreme Court, under which law the Election Commission did not allot PTI symbols?
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said that the members of the Sunni Ittehad Council also have the vote of PTI. There is a decision that the members want to join the said Sunni alliance council.
Azam Nazir Tarar said that even in the Peshawar High Court, PTI did not listen to the Ittehad Council members. A candidate contested from four constituencies and won all four, but he will hold only one seat in one constituency. You voluntarily got married to the Sunni Ittehad Council.
Ali Muhammad Khan replied, “This is the second one. Four are allowed in Islam. Why did the Election Commission not give PTI the bat symbol? Is there any shame for them today?”
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said that the political parties have reconsidered the decision of the Supreme Court that these seats belong to them.
In the meeting, Member of National Assembly Sahibzada Sibghatullah said that there will be no PTI mark on the ballot paper in the elections.
Member of Assembly Shahida Akhtar Ali said that if every institution had worked within its limits, the sad situation would never have come to light. Parliament will not be strong if these decisions are made overnight, reconsider it. Bilal Azhar Kayani said that it is not possible that a party has not submitted the list and then it says that we should be given our quota.
During the meeting, the Election Commission refused to comment on the retrospective application of the bill.
Secretary Election Commission Umar Khan said, ‘We will not give any opinion on retrospective.’
Ali Muhammad Khan addressed him and asked, ‘Are you in favor of applying it from the past or not?’ The secretary said it is not his domain.
Ali Mohammad Khan said Election Commission has violated the constitution, come here with answers. You must answer here. On this, the chairman committee addressed him and said that he cannot dictate to the committee.
Ali Muhammad Khan said that his people have been picked up, Election Commission officials replied, ‘We have not picked up your people.’
Ali Mohammad Khan said, ‘When the Supreme Court is saying PTI was and is, how did you take the election symbol from us?’
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said, ‘The Supreme Court did it in a different context.’
Later, the committee passed the Elections Act Amendment Bill, 2017 by majority vote. Eight committee members voted in favor of the bill while four voted against it.
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2024-07-31 16:57:01
