Election Act Amendment Bill Approved by Standing Committee with Majority Vote

Islamabad: The Election Act Amendment Bill has been approved by the Standing Committee with a majority vote. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party opposed the bill, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) abstained from voting, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) did not have any members present at the meeting.
According to Express News, the meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs was chaired by Chairman Rana Iradat Sharif. During the session, the bill to amend the Election Act 2017 was discussed, with Bilal Azhar Kiyani providing a briefing on the proposed changes.
A heated exchange occurred between opposition member Ali Muhammad Khan and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazeer Tarar. Minister Tarar supported the bill, asserting that the proposed amendments are in accordance with the Constitution and the law.
On the other hand, PTI-supported members opposed the bill. Committee member Shahida Akhtar Ali stated that they have consistently worked to uphold the Constitution and law, and questioned why legislation was not focused on issues like Independent Power Producers (IPPs) instead. She expressed concerns that the bill’s amendments should be examined in detail and suggested a re-evaluation of the election amendments.
Ali Muhammad Khan criticized the Election Commission for allegedly creating a political crisis and depriving a political party of its electoral symbol. He called for the Election Commission to provide its opinion on the retrospective effects of the bill.
The Secretary of the Election Commission stated that the Commission could not provide an opinion on the bill’s retrospective effects, as this falls under the purview of the Ministry of Law and Parliament.
Following the discussion, the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs approved the Election Act Amendment Bill 2024 by a majority vote, with six votes in favor and four against. JUI member Shahida Akhtar Ali abstained from the vote, citing her inability to support or oppose the bill due to its retrospective effects. The PPP did not have any members present at the meeting.
The Election Act Amendment Bill is set to be presented to the National Assembly for approval on Friday.