30 December 2004	Thursday	17 Ziqa'ad 1425

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ISLAMABAD, DEC 29: The Senate standing committee on rules of procedure and privileges here on Wednesday approved a couple of amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988.

In this connection a meeting was held at the Parliament House, which was presided over by Senator Prof Muhammad Saeed Siddiqui. The amendments were moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sher Afgan Khan Niazi in the Senate and the same were referred to the committee by the Upper House of Parliament on December 9.

The committee had detailed deliberations on the proposed amendments and unanimously approved to omit Rule 107 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of the Business in the Senate, 1988 as it was felt that Rule 107 had become redundant in the light of the 17th Constitutional Amendment.

The committee unanimously approved the addition of new rule 115 A and 115 B after rule 115 in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988.

The members were of the view that it was a constitutional requirement that if a bill transmitted to a House was rejected or not passed within 90 days of its receipt or was passed with amendments, the bill, at the request of the house in which it originated, was referred to a mediation committee instead of being discussed in the joint session of parliament.

Therefore, the inclusion of new rules 115 A and 115 B would fulfil the legislative requirement. The committee also considered amendment in Rule 140 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988 and recommended the proposed amendment in the rules regarding the constitution of new standing committees as moved by the minister for parliamentary affairs in the house.

The meeting was also attended by Justice (retired) Abdul Razzaq Thahim and Senators Naeem Hussain Chattha and Kamil Ali Agha. Senior officers of the ministry of parliamentary affairs were also present.