Senate Prorogued without Taking up Motion for Discussion on Removal of Chairman

ISLAMABAD, July 23, 2019: The Senate’s 291^st session was prorogued on Tuesday without taking up the motion for discussion on the resolution regarding removal of the Chairman, observes the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its daily Factsheet.

Following are key observations of the proceedings of the only sitting of 291^st session:

Members’ Participation

• The Senate met for 11 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1506 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours.
• The Chairman presided over the entire sitting.
• The Deputy Chairman did not attend the sitting.
• The Leaders of the House and the Opposition attended the entire sitting.
• Parliamentary leaders of PML-N, MQM, PPPP, PkMAP, BNP-M, ANP and JUI-F attended the sitting.
• Forty-three members (41% of the total membership – 104) were present at the outset and 69 (66%) at the end of sitting.
• Three out of four minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

 Output 

• The Chairman, in a ruling on the procedure to move a resolution for the removal of the Chairman or Deputy Chairman, reiterated the ruling of his predecessor that a motion for leave to move a resolution regarding removal of the Chairman or Deputy Chairman can be made only during a continued session. He, therefore, clarified that the inclusion of a motion under Rule 218 instead of a motion for leave to move a resolution regarding the removal of Chairman or Deputy Chairman was intended to follow the procedure for such a motion as laid down in the Constitution, Senate Rules of Procedure and the rulings of the Chair and to counter “the efforts to malign the office of the Chairman”. He directed the Senate Secretariat to follow the procedure laid down in the Rule 12 of the Senate Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, Standing Orders and rulings of the Chair in the future.

 Representation and Responsiveness

• The House did not consider a motion under Rule 218 to debate resolution regarding removal of the Chairman Senate.

Order and Institutionalization 

• The Leaders of the House and the Opposition spoke on points of order for two minutes.
• The Session was prorogued sine die.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and public.
• The attendance of lawmakers is available on the website.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Senate proceeding conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN). Errors and omissions are excepted