More “amends” make it past NA

Changes in Rules of Procedures, Conduct of Business passed

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Friday unanimously passed the bill seeking amendment in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the lower house, which became necessary after the passage of 18th and 19th amendment bills. Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khurshid Shah moved the amendments bill in the house for passage.

Advisor to Prime Minister Raza Rabbani elaborating the amendment said after the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker –a general election– or whenever the office of the Prime Minister falls vacant for any reason, the Assembly shall, to the exclusion of any other business, proceed to elect without debate one of its Muslim members to be the Prime Minister. Any member may propose the name of any Muslim member for election as Prime Minister, hereinafter referred to as the candidate.
Every proposal shall be made on a separate nomination paper in the form set out in the First Schedule and shall be signed by the proposer and seconder and also by the candidate stating that he has consented to the nomination.
A candidate may be nominated by more than one nomination paper, but no member shall subscribe to more than one nomination paper, either as proposer or as seconder.
Every nomination paper shall be delivered by the candidate or his proposer or seconder to the Secretary by 2.00 P.M. on the day preceding the day on which the election of Prime Minister is to be held.
After the rule 39, new rules 39A and 39B shall be inserted, namely: “39A. Removal of Leader of the Opposition which says a notice signed by a majority of members of the opposition maybe given to the secretary showing that the leader of opposition has lost the support of the majority of the members of the opposition.
It says such notice shall be accompanied by the nomination of a proposed new Leader of the Opposition signed by a majority of the members of the opposition.
After verification of the signatures of the members, if the Speaker is satisfied that the Leader of the Opposition has lost the support of the majority of the members of the opposition, he shall declare him to be removed from office.
When the Leader of the Opposition is removed, the Speaker shall immediately declare the member who has been nominated in sub-rule (2) as Leader of the Opposition.
While, 39B says whenever the office of the Leader of Opposition becomes vacant, it shall be filled in the manner as provided in rule 39.
That for rule 154, the following shall be substituted, namely: “154 Bills amended, rejected or not passed by Senate- (1) If a Bill passed by the Assembly and transmitted to the Senate is rejected or is not passed within ninety days of its laying in the Senate, or is passed with amendment by the Senate, the Secretary shall immediately communicate the fact to the members and also cause copies of the Bill to be supplied to them.
(2) At any time after the Bill passed by the Senate with amendment has been so circulated, any Minister, in the case of a Government Bill, or, in any other case, any member may, after giving two days notice, move that the Bill be taken into consideration.
(3) The Secretary shall forthwith cause the notice so received to be circulated among the members.
(4) When the motion for, consideration is moved, any member may move as an amendment that the Bill be referred to the Standing Committee and if the motion is carried the Bill shall stand referred to the Standing Committee. The provisions of rule 148 shall mutatis mutandis apply:
Provided that the Standing Committee shall only examine the amendment made by the Senate.
(5) If a motion under sub-rule (2) is carried, the provisions of these rules regarding passing of the Bills shall, so far as may be, and with the necessary modifications apply.
(6) After all the amendments made by the Senate are disposed of, the member-in-charge shall move that the Bill be passed.
(7) If a Bill passed by the Senate with amendment is rejected or is not assed within 90 days of its laying in the Assembly, or a Bill transmitted under clause (1) of Article 70 is not passed within 90 days of its laying in the Assembly, any Minister, in the case of a Government Bill, or, in any other case, any member may, after giving two days notice, move that the Bill be considered in a joint sitting.
(8) When a Bill, as amended by the Senate, is passed by the Assembly an authenticated copy thereof signed by the Speaker shall be transmitted to the President, by the Secretary for assent under Article 75.
(9) When a Bill transmitted by the Senate under Article 70(1) is passed by the Assembly without amendment, a message shall be sent to the Senate to this effect.
That for rule 155, the following shall be substituted namely:
Reference of Bill to the joint sitting. When a motion made under sub-rule (7) of rule 154 is carried, the Speaker shall refer the Bill to a joint sitting or, if a joint sitting is not in session, request the President to summon a joint sitting for consideration of the Bill.
That after rule 170, a new rule 170A shall be inserted, namely:
“170A Resolution for extension of Ordinances which says: (1)In pursuance of first proviso to sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (a) of clause (2) of Article 89 of the Constitution, a member or a Minister may, after giving three days’ notice, move a resolution for extension of an Ordinance for a period of one
hundred and twenty days.
(2) Where more notices than one under sub-rule (1) are given, the resolutions shall be taken up in the order in which their notices have been received, and if one of the resolutions is passed, all other resolutions relating thereto shall lapse.-APP

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