KABUL - The Wolesi Jirga or lower house of parliament on Saturday failed for a third time to introduce members for a joint parliamentary commission to be tasked with deciding the fate of the president’s legislative decree on electoral reform.
Election reforms are a key point of the unity government agreement between then presidential runners Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah. The president had issued two legislative decrees in this regard, but the Wolesi Jirga rejected them both.
The first decree was thrown out by the Meshrano Jirga too, but the upper house approved the second decree last month. Due to differences over approval of the decree by the Senate, the issue was referred to a joint parliamentary team.
Article 100 of the Constitution says: “If one house rejects decisions of the other, a joint commission comprised of an equal number of members from each shall be formed to resolve the differences. The decision of the commission, after endorsement by the president, shall be enforced.”
“If the joint commission does not solve the differences, the decision shall be considered rejected. In such a situation, the House of People shall pass it with two-thirds majority in its next session. This decision, without submission to the House of Elders, shall be promulgated once endorsed by the president,” the article adds.
The Meshrano Jirga or upper house has chosen its seven members for the team. They include senators Hasibullah Kalimzai, Maulvi Mohiuddin Munsif, Mohammad Hassan Hotak, Farhad Sakhi, Aziz Musleh, Anarkali Hunaryar and Seddiqa Balkhi.
But the Wolesi Jirga, which was expected to introduce its members last Thursday, failed to do so.
Sharifi Balkhabi, Sarwar Faiz, En.g Zekeria Zekeria, Mohammad Naim Hamidzai Lalai, Kamal Nasar Osoli, Humaira Ayubi, Musa Khan Nsrat, Mullah Sayed Mohammad Akhunzada, Abdul Qadir Zazai and Abdul Sattar Khawasi were introduced today to the house’s administrative board as nominees for membership of the joint parliamentary team.
However, all the nominees were rejected by a majority of the lawmakers and the relevant commission was tasked again with introducing other nominees for the team’s membership.
After long discussions, Wolesi Jirga speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi announced that 10 members of the house had suggested each nominee should be voted individually.
The house finally decided to dedicate individual ballot box to each of the nominees. Ibrahimi said the house would take a decision on the matter in Monday’s session.(Pajhwok)