No-trust motion illegal, says Bhootani

Speaker announces he won’t attend December 26 session.

QUETTA:

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Aslam Bhootani said on Monday that the no-confidence motion tabled against him in the provincial legislature is illegal and unconstitutional.

Speaking at a news conference at his chambers in the Balochistan Assembly, Bhootani said that while legislators had the right to move a no-confidence motion against him, the way it was done was against the rules and procedures.

Bhootani said he was not consulted before the motion was tabled, and that it contained several flaws which made it illegal and unconstitutional. He added that if he had “politely been asked” for his resignation, he would have offered it in good faith, but he would not give in to pressure or submit to threats.

Bhootani also announced that he would not attend the Balochistan Assembly session scheduled for December 26, because its scheduling was against rules since notices for the session were not dispatched to the MPAs in due course. According to the speaker, there should be a gap of seven days between the tabling of the motion and voting on it in the house – but that the gap in this case was only five days.

Bhootani explained that only MPAs can move a no-trust motion according to the Constitution, and not the chief minister or any minister. The speaker also pointed out that only 22 members had signed the no-trust motion, which is less than half the strength of the house.

He said the assembly session was convened under Article 109 of the Constitution (regarding the governor’s right to summon a session) and under this clause, a no-confidence motion cannot be tabled.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2012.