The NA approves an ordinance that calls for up to six months in prison and a Rs. 1 million punishment for “contempt of parliament.”
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly unanimously approved the “Contempt of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) Bill, 2023” on Tuesday. This bill aims to establish penalties for actions that undermine the sovereignty and integrity of the legislature, including imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of Rs10 million.
The bill was introduced in the lower house by Rana Qasim Noon, a dissident lawmaker from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and Chairman of the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges. The NA session was presided over by Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, praised the bill, stating that it would enhance the oversight role of parliament. He emphasized the importance of having a law specifically addressing contempt of parliament, as there were laws for contempt of other institutions but not for the legislature.
Under the proposed legislation, a Parliamentary Contempt Committee consisting of 24 members will be formed to investigate cases of contempt of parliament. The committee will include an equal number of members from the opposition and the government, as per the proposal.
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The bill grants the committee the authority to summon any state or government official for contempt of parliament. Once the committee completes its investigation, it will submit a report to the NA speaker and Senate chairman, who will then determine the appropriate punishment based on the recommendations.
According to the bill, a motion can be raised by a house to charge any individual with contempt, and the speaker or Senate chairman may refer the matter to the Contempt Committee. If the committee determines that a person should be charged with contempt, the chairman of the committee may present a motion to that effect in the House.
Within 30 days of the commencement of this Act, the speaker is required to establish a Contempt Committee, which will consist of 24 members with equal representation from each house of parliament.
The Contempt Committee will comprise 14 members from the Treasury Benches, nominated by the Leader of the House, and 10 members from the opposition Benches, nominated by the Leader of the Opposition. The Secretary of the National Assembly Secretariat will act as the Secretary of the Contempt Committee. Decisions of the committee will be based on the majority vote, and recommendations will be made accordingly.
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The bill ensures that each individual charged with contempt is provided the right to a fair trial, as guaranteed by the Constitution. However, it prohibits the appearance of legal practitioners or advocates before the Committee. In its first meeting, the Contempt Committee will elect a Chairman from among its members.
Upon the recommendations of the committee, a House will have the authority to impose various punishments outlined in the Act. These may include simple imprisonment for a period of up to six months, a fine of up to ten million rupees, or a combination of both.
The need for a contempt of parliament bill arose from the frustration expressed by the current government regarding the involvement of the Supreme Court and other state institutions in matters of the executive.
Responding to these concerns, the NA’s Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges approved the presentation of a “contempt of parliament bill” on the floor of the House earlier this month.