KABUL - The Meshrano Jirga on Tuesday approved 19 articles of the amended election law, hinting at a special session on Wednesday to pass the remaining portions.

Over the past 11 years, parliamentary elections have been conducted under legislative decrees. But five months back, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) prepared an amended draft law and sent it to the Wolesi Jirga.

After its approval by the lower house, the new law that has 17 chapters and 67 articles landed in the Meshrano Jirga for approval before being ratified by the president.

On Tuesday, senators voted to approve 19 articles of the law without any amendments, Senate Legislative Commission head Maulvi Mohiuddin Munsif said.

Of the 72 legislators present, 67 voted in favor of the 19 articles after a lengthy debate.

Following in Wolesi Jirga’s footsteps, the upper house gave the authority of investigating election-related complaints to the Electoral Complaints Commission.

Meshrano Jirga Chairman Fazl Hadi Muslimyar ruled they would hold a special session on Wednesday to approve the rest of the articles. (Pajhwok)