ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Law and Justice on Wednesday gave a nod to the constitutional amendment bill seeking a ban on candidates contesting elections on multiple seats.

The bill was introduced by Maulana Akbar Chitrali seeking amendments to the Article 223 of the Constitution, which allowed candidates to contest elections on multiple seats. The bill was admitted by a majority vote and then sent to Standing Committee on Law and Justice for further deliberations.

The bill was moved after about a month when Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan won six out of eight seats in the by-elections. The Constitution allowed citizens to contest elections from multiple constituencies but in case of multiple victories, the winning candidate was required to retain only one seat and relinquish the remaining seats. The mover of the bill Mr Chitrali termed this practice as “illogical”.

Bill was moved by JI lawmaker seeking changes to Article 223

According to an estimate, Rs46 billion is required for elections on national and provincial seats and if this amount is divided per seat, the cost comes to Rs100 million for each seat.

The standing committee convened its meeting under the chairmanship of Mahmood Bashir Virk.

The committee considered the bill ‘The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022’ to amend Article 223. After detailed deliberations, the committee recommended that the bill may be passed by the assembly.

According to the statement, “The committee considered the bill ‘The Public Properties (Removal of Encroachments) Bill, 2021 Ordinance NO. XVII of 2021’ (government bill); after detailed deliberations, the ministry preferred to withdraw the same hence the committee recommended that the bill may not be passed by the assembly.”

The statement added, “The committee did not consider The Constitution (Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill 2021 (government bill); The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Amendment 140) moved by Asiya Azeem, The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Article 51 and 59), moved by Noorul Haq Tanveer, and deferred the same.”

It considered The Muslim Family (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Section 4) moved by Syed Javed Hasnain, MNA and the Muslim Family Laws (Amendment), 2022 (Amendment 5-A) moved by JI MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali.

After detailed deliberations, the mover preferred to withdraw the same as it was recommended that the bill may not be passed by the assembly.

The committee considered ‘The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Article 76)’, moved by Syed Javed Hasnain. After detailed deliberations, the committee recommended that the bill as amended may be passed by the assembly.

MNAs Usman Ibrahim, Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Kishwar Zehra, Syed Javed Hasnain and Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, and officials of the Ministry of Law and Justice attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2023