NA passes bill: Poll candidates can ask others to file papers for them
Bill against corporal punishment on a child also approved, punishment up to one year.
A file photo of National Assembly. PHOTO: APP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
In a rare display of unity, parliamentarians from both sides of the aisle joined hands to remove the restriction for election candidates to appear in person before a returning officer for submission of their nomination papers.
On Tuesday, the National Assembly unanimously passed the last-minute, handwritten amendment bill, for which rules of submission to a standing committee were relaxed.
The bill cancels an earlier amendment in the Representation of the People Act 1976 and omission of Article 8EE of The Conduct of General Election Order 2002, under which all candidates are required to appear in person before the returning officer to file nomination papers.
Candidates will now be able to file nomination papers through their authorised representative.
The text of the amendment, moved by Zahid Hamid of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) says; “Every nomination paper shall be delivered to the returning officer by the candidate or by his proposer or seconder or, if so authorised in writing by the candidate, by his nominee and the returning officer shall acknowledge receipt of the nomination paper specifying the date and time of receipt.”
Commenting on the bill, Law Minister Farooq H Naek said, “Musharraf did not want Benazir Bhutto to contest elections, therefore, he changed the laws. The bill should be passed without wasting any time so that we could get approval from the Senate as well ahead of dissolution of the assemblies.” Naek explained that the bill carried greater importance in light of the uncertain security situation prevailing in the country due to which political leaders were receiving death threats. “With this amendment, the ROPA 1976 will be restored to its pre 2002 position, enabling candidates to avoid coming before a returning officer if there is any threat or any other reason,” he added.
Following the footprints of ruling PPP, Waseem Akhtar from Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Waqas Akram from the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) endorsed the legislation.
Prohibition of corporal punishment
On Tuesday, the lower house unanimously passed a bill for prohibition of corporal punishment against children.
Moved by PML-Q leader Dr Attiya Inayatullah, the bill says that “any person who is guilty of inflicting corporal punishment on a child shall be punishable with imprisonment extending up to a maximum of one year or fine up to fifty thousand rupees or both.”
The bill also adds that the punishment will be in addition to, and not a replacement for, other punishments arising out of hurt or injury caused by corporal punishment under other applicable laws.
Another bill passed by the National Assembly during one of its last sessions, seeks to promote reproductive healthcare rights of men and women and to redress complications related to pregnancy and childbirth which are among the leading causes of high mortality rates among women.
Introduced by Dr Attiya Inayatullah, the bill promotes reproductive health care rights in accordance with the Constitution and Pakistan’s international commitments under the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), to which the country is a state party.
Conclude the ongoing session
Earlier, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, who has recently joined the PML-N, asked the speaker to conclude the ongoing session by pointing out that the lower house had completed its 130 mandatory sittings for a parliamentary year.
“Lawmakers no longer seem to be interested, which is evident by that continuing lack of quorum in the house, so let us adjourn the session and go back to our constituencies,” he added.
In response, National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, asked members of the house to make a decision on the continuation of the session today (Wednesday).
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2013.
In a rare display of unity, parliamentarians from both sides of the aisle joined hands to remove the restriction for election candidates to appear in person before a returning officer for submission of their nomination papers.
On Tuesday, the National Assembly unanimously passed the last-minute, handwritten amendment bill, for which rules of submission to a standing committee were relaxed.
The bill cancels an earlier amendment in the Representation of the People Act 1976 and omission of Article 8EE of The Conduct of General Election Order 2002, under which all candidates are required to appear in person before the returning officer to file nomination papers.
Candidates will now be able to file nomination papers through their authorised representative.
The text of the amendment, moved by Zahid Hamid of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) says; “Every nomination paper shall be delivered to the returning officer by the candidate or by his proposer or seconder or, if so authorised in writing by the candidate, by his nominee and the returning officer shall acknowledge receipt of the nomination paper specifying the date and time of receipt.”
Commenting on the bill, Law Minister Farooq H Naek said, “Musharraf did not want Benazir Bhutto to contest elections, therefore, he changed the laws. The bill should be passed without wasting any time so that we could get approval from the Senate as well ahead of dissolution of the assemblies.” Naek explained that the bill carried greater importance in light of the uncertain security situation prevailing in the country due to which political leaders were receiving death threats. “With this amendment, the ROPA 1976 will be restored to its pre 2002 position, enabling candidates to avoid coming before a returning officer if there is any threat or any other reason,” he added.
Following the footprints of ruling PPP, Waseem Akhtar from Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Waqas Akram from the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) endorsed the legislation.
Prohibition of corporal punishment
On Tuesday, the lower house unanimously passed a bill for prohibition of corporal punishment against children.
Moved by PML-Q leader Dr Attiya Inayatullah, the bill says that “any person who is guilty of inflicting corporal punishment on a child shall be punishable with imprisonment extending up to a maximum of one year or fine up to fifty thousand rupees or both.”
The bill also adds that the punishment will be in addition to, and not a replacement for, other punishments arising out of hurt or injury caused by corporal punishment under other applicable laws.
Another bill passed by the National Assembly during one of its last sessions, seeks to promote reproductive healthcare rights of men and women and to redress complications related to pregnancy and childbirth which are among the leading causes of high mortality rates among women.
Introduced by Dr Attiya Inayatullah, the bill promotes reproductive health care rights in accordance with the Constitution and Pakistan’s international commitments under the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), to which the country is a state party.
Conclude the ongoing session
Earlier, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, who has recently joined the PML-N, asked the speaker to conclude the ongoing session by pointing out that the lower house had completed its 130 mandatory sittings for a parliamentary year.
“Lawmakers no longer seem to be interested, which is evident by that continuing lack of quorum in the house, so let us adjourn the session and go back to our constituencies,” he added.
In response, National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, asked members of the house to make a decision on the continuation of the session today (Wednesday).
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2013.