Contents
Parliament Grants Additional Powers to Interim Setup through Election Act Amendments
- Parliament Grants Additional Powers to Interim Setup through Election Act Amendments
- PML-N Introduces Amendment to Empower Caretaker Government
- Law Minister Clarifies Amendments After Objections from Allies and Opposition
- Specifics of the Amended Election Act and Caretaker Government’s Powers
- Parliament Grants Additional Powers to Interim Setup through Election Act Amendments
In a joint session on Wednesday, the Parliament passed crucial amendments to the Election Act 2017, empowering the caretaker government with the authority to make decisions concerning existing bilateral or multilateral agreements and projects. This move comes ahead of scheduled elections later this year.
- PML-N Introduces Amendment to Empower Caretaker Government
The PML-N announced a significant amendment aimed at granting the caretaker government powers equivalent to those of an elected administration. This measure ensures that the interim setup can take essential decisions and actions, going beyond merely overseeing day-to-day affairs until the elections are held.
- Law Minister Clarifies Amendments After Objections from Allies and Opposition
After facing objections during a joint parliamentary session, the government addressed concerns raised by allies and opposition members regarding the amendments. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar explained that changes to Section 230 were proposed five days earlier via communication channels, but a new draft was presented to simplify the section. Other amendments had unanimous support.
- Specifics of the Amended Election Act and Caretaker Government’s Powers
The amended Election Act now includes a provision exempting the caretaker government from certain restrictions, specifically in matters related to existing bilateral or multilateral agreements and projects initiated under specific acts. While some members of the Parliament expressed reservations about this empowerment, the removal of subclause one and two addressed their concerns. The ongoing debate highlights the debate on whether a caretaker government should possess powers similar to those of an elected representative government.