Imthiaz wants his three Bills included on agenda paper
SJB MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar yesterday raised a privilege issue in Parliament saying that his privileges have been violated due to discrimination, obstruction and opposition to the three private member motions presented by him to Parliament in order to increase the youth representation in Local Government bodies, Provincial Councils and Parliament.
In January 2021, three private bills were handed over to the Secretary General of Parliament for submission to Parliament to amend the Parliamentary, Provincial Councils and Local Government bodies Election Ordinances in accordance with the standing orders of Parliament.
After the three Bills are gazetted and then first presented to Parliament on July 6, 2022. Then arrangements have been made to obtain a report from the relevant Ministry in accordance with the Standing Orders of Parliament. However even if it is forwarded to the relevant Ministry, the relevant reports related Bills have not been submitted until the first day of January 2023. The MP also said that the reports have not been sent to Parliament.
If the reports for the respective Bills are not received from the relevant ministry within six months, according to Standing Orders 52 (7) of Parliament, the said Bill can be included in the agenda of Parliament for the second reading according to the wish of the member presenting them.
Accordingly I sent a request in writing to the Parliamentary Secretary General to include these private member motions to the agenda on June 6, 2023.
However, due to no action being taken on that, I made the same request once again in a letter dated September 22, 2023. Meanwhile, a member of the ruling party submitted a Private Member’s Bill to the parliament on November 8, 2022 for the purpose of the Local Government Polls Ordinance, and on November 10, 2022, the parliament forwarded it to the minister in charge of the subject.
Then the report related to the Bill presented by a member of the ruling party was combined with my own Bill and accepted by the minister in charge of the subject as one report and was sent to Parliament on January 5, 2023. The Constitutional Standing Committee of the Parliament considered it on February 28, 2023, after such consideration, the committee has ordered the ministry to submit two separate reports as there are two draft laws.
Since more than six months have passed since this draft was submitted to the relevant Minister, the MP requested Parliament to make necessary arrangements to include this bill in the agenda of the Parliament without unnecessary delays.
He also urged that the relevant matter be referred to the Privileges Committee and justice be done.
Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa stated that the matter will be forwarded to the Privileges Committee.
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