Amendments Of Parliamentarians Accommodated In Election Bill: Zahid Hamid

Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid Monday informed the National Assembly that 44 out of 105 amendments suggested by the parliamentarians were accommodated in the new election bill

ISLAMABAD (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Aug, 2017 ) : Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid Monday informed the National Assembly that 44 out of 105 amendments suggested by the parliamentarians were accommodated in the new election bill.

Talking in the National Assembly he said, "It was unfortunate that the parliamentarians have not presented these amendments in the 129 meetings of sub-committees and main committees that met during the last two and a half years." He said at the end of 93 meetings of sub-committees, everybody arrived at a consensus but later more amendments were tabled in the house.

He said nobody gave a dissent note at the conclusion of 105 meetings of the committee on electoral reforms. He asked the political parties to withdraw their amendments after the acceptance of the 44 amendments.

"Elections bill 2017 is the product of efforts of all the political parties and not just the government but political parties should also take credit of it," he added. He said it was view of the government that the bill should be passed unanimously.

Sharing the background of the bill, he said, initially 1200 suggestions were examined from various quarters and after that the bill was put on website for more proposals. He said, 680 more suggestions from the people came to improve the bill.

He termed the elections bill historical and said this kind of comprehensive bill had been tabled in the parliament for the first time in history. He was of the view that after the passage of the bill its implementation was very easy.

He thanked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for extending the support. He said Election Commission has been given administrative and financial powers and also the power to make rules for conduct of fair elections.

Zahid Hamid said variation of population during delimitation of Constituencies was restricted to 10 percent. Now every citizens who get computerized national identity cards would be automatically enrolled as a voter.

The voter will be registered only according to his present and permanent address, he added. He said special measures were taken for voting of transgender community, adding election officials will take an oath before polls that they will conduct elections according to rules and regulations and with fairness.

The minister said CCTV cameras will be installed at sensitive polling stations. The house adopted the Elections bill 2017 and decided to pass it by clause by clause on Tuesday.