Senate body unanimously passes 'Election (Amend) Bill, 2023'.

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs here on Friday unanimously passed "The Election (Amendment) Bill, 2023". Chaired by Senator Taj Haider, the meeting; was attended by Senator Abida Muhammad Azeem, Senator Kamran Murtaza, Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi and senior officers of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs along with its attached departments and agencies. The proposed amendment entailed the deletion of the words Federally Administered Tribal Areas and where mentioned in the Election Act 2017.

The Committee was informed that the amendment was necessary in light of the 25th constitutional amendment and the merger of FATA in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Bill was supported by both the Election Commission and the Government. The Committee was also informed that the proposal for amendments in Election Act, 2017 is under process, and that it would be appropriate if consolidated amendments may be made in the Election Act, 2017 through Government Bill. The Committee decided that despite the Government Bill is under process, it would be appropriate that this Bill be passed immediately.

While taking up the matter of any proposed recommendations related to the Public Sector Development...