Military courts endorsed: 21st constitutional amendment to be tabled in NA today

Two-thirds of votes are required for any constitutional amendment in the house of 342

ISLAMABAD:

A draft of the 21st amendment in the Constitution will be presented before the National Assembly this morning (Saturday) following consensus of all parliamentary parties on the creation of military courts for the trial of terrorists.

Despite being part of the national consensus, PTI has decided that its representatives will not attend the National Assembly session, citing the conduct of the ruling PML-N as the reason. PTI will not be able to do the same thing in the upper house where its members have no representation.



Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the party’s vice chairman, told media representatives after the conference that PTI would not attend Saturday’s session in protest against the government’s non-seriousness towards its demand for an independent investigation into the May 2013 elections.

In sharp contrast with the first two days of the session, barely two dozen members turned up in the house on Friday. For Saturday’s session lawmakers need to show up in large numbers, as two-thirds votes are required for any constitutional amendment in the house of 342.

Procedure for amendment

For a constitutional amendment, a minimum of 228 votes are required out of 342. In the absence of PTI members, it would be a challenge for all 21 remaining parliamentary parties, including the ruling party, to ensure that all its members attend the session. As per the 18th constitutional amendment, it is incumbent upon all the members to vote for an amendment and they cannot apply their independent minds.

It would depend on the business house advisory committee on just how it shapes tomorrow’s agenda. In an emergency situation, the house rules can be suspended just to pass the bill after its introduction. Through a motion it can pass the bill without referring it to the relevant house committee for further consideration.

After sailing through the lower house, the bill would be referred to the upper house for approval. In the house of 104, opposition parties are in majority in the Senate. With 40 members, Pakistan Peoples Party has a majority in the house followed by 16 seats of the ruling party and 12 held by the Awami National Party.

‘Party-wise position in NA’

The ruling PML-N has 189 seats in the house of 342. The PPP has 46 seats, MQM 24, JUI-F has 13, PTI has 33, including its five disgruntled members and JI and PkMAP have four seats apiece in the house. The ANP with two seats is also likely to vote in favour of the amendment.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2014.