ISLAMABAD: In a joint session of Parliament chaired by Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, the Election Act Amendment Bill 2023 was formally presented and subsequently passed by a majority vote. The bill’s approval was granted clause by clause.
One of the significant amendments made was to Article 230, which pertains to the supervisory government. Specifically, sub-clauses 1 and 2 of Article 230 underwent revisions. As per the new amendment, the caretaker government will no longer have the authority to enter into any new agreements. Moreover, they will not be allowed to make decisions regarding ongoing bilateral and multilateral agreements. However, the caretaker government will retain the authority to hold discussions with institutions on projects that are already in progress.
The amendment further empowers the caretaker government to exercise its jurisdiction over programs and projects that were already initiated before its term began.
During the joint session, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, expressed his thoughts on the Electoral Reforms Bill. He addressed the misconceptions surrounding Article 230, clarifying that it was not intended to grant the caretaker government long-term exercising options.
He also shared an incident where representatives from the World Bank expressed concerns about the implementation of agreements for various development projects after the current government’s term ends. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq emphasized the need for the concerned committee to find a way to ensure the continuation of these agreements.
(Islamabad51-Newsdesk)
