ISLAMABAD: The Senate is likely to take up the bill regarding the delimitation of constituencies on Monday after it failed to meet the required strength during the last three sessions.
The Senate session is expected to commence at 4 pm at Parliament House on Monday.
Due to the low attendance in the upper house, the Senate during its previous session on November 22, had decided to postpone the voting on the bill for delimitation of constituencies until November 27.
In order for the ‘Constitutional Amendment Bill 2017’ to get approved, at least 69 votes are needed. The bill pertains to the fresh delimitation of constituencies in line with the provisional results of the latest census in light of the general elections next year.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in order to secure Pakistan People’s Party’s support for the vote in Senate had recently contacted Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah.
Shah had asked PM Abbasi for a request in writing so that the party could have a consultation over it.
However, reports stated that the government and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) failed to reach on a mutual ground on the issue and the PPP leadership has not issued any directives to ensure its members presence in the session.
The Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2017 pertains to the fresh delimitation of constituencies in line with the provisional results of the latest census in light of the general elections next year. According to the new delimitation of constituencies, Punjab’s seat’s share in the National Assembly will decrease by nine seats, while Islamabad will get one more seat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa five and Balochistan three more.
NA seats for FATA and Sindh will remain unchanged.
On November 13, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) had approved the delimitation of new constituencies on the basis of provisional results of Population Census 2017 paving way for timely conduct of the next general elections.
