Balochistan PA: ECP’s response to bill aimed at increasing number of general seats sought

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary body on Wednesday sought the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s response on a bill seeking to increase the general seats of the Balochistan assembly from 51 to 63.

The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice which met with Senator Ali Zafar in chair discussed “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024” (Amendment of Article 106).

Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, one of the bill’s movers told the committee that the main objective of the bill was to increase the general seats of the Balochistan assembly from 51 to 63. He argued that Balochistan, being the largest province by area, faces challenges with a single constituency covering a vast area, making it difficult for candidates to campaign effectively.

The committee agreed on the amendment in principle but decided to invite the ECP to resolve concerns about the rationale for the increase in seats.

The committee, unanimously, passed, “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2023” (Amendment of Article 84), seeking to make it compulsory for the federal government to acquire prior approval from the National Assembly for supplementary grants. However, the committee recommended the Finance Division to draft a “list of events” to help the government cope with unforeseen circumstances like epidemics or natural disasters.

The committee also deliberated on “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024” (Amendment of Article 51). Senator Danesh Kumar, one of the bill’s movers, stated that the aim is to mandate political parties to elect at least one minority member for the National Assembly from each province. He argued that recent history shows a bias towards electing minority members from Punjab and Sindh, neglecting Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan minorities.

Raja Naeem Akbar, Secretary Law and Justice noted that while the principle allows parties to elect competent minority candidates nationwide, the amendment restricts them to Balochistan. The committee decided to discuss the breakdown of the minority population across the country to establish a formula for minority seats in the National Assembly.

Senators Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Danesh Kumar, Kamran Murtaza, and Walid Iqbal, and senior officials of the Law Ministry attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024