With an objective to provide legal cover to the election of several members of parliament and provincial assemblies by an incomplete election commission in view of the 18th constitutional amendment, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has convened a meeting of the federal cabinet today (Wednesday) that is likely to get the 20th Amendment Bill passed.
However, the bill is missing from the official agenda for the cabinet meeting. The cabinet agenda includes status of implementation of cabinet decisions, confirmation of decisions of ECC held on January 20, confirmation of decisions of the CCI, presentation on CPI to oversee trend of prices of commodities, grant of approval of cabinet on chartered accountants (amendments) bill 2011, approval in principle to start negotiations for visa abolition agreement of diplomatic, official and ordinary passport holders, approval of cabinet for signing MOU on scientific and technological cooperation between the governments of Pakistan and the Russian Federation.
Later in the day today, the ruling coalition members would try to get the bill passed from the National Assembly, which is set to meet in the evening. The 39th National Assembly session would most likely deliberate in length on the 20th Amendment Bill regarding the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The 20th Amendment Bill provides that the Supreme Court had raised questions about holding of by-elections through an incomplete election commission (EC). To grant a legal protection to the incomplete election commission, this amendment is essential. The bill had already been passed by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Monday, while the PML-N members had boycotted the committee proceedings.
The bill aims at amending Article 218-2B to give protection to by-elections on 23 constituencies which were held under the incomplete election commission.
