ISLAMABAD Sept 1: The government fearing en masse resignations by the opposition has decided to amend the Senate rules by making it mandatory for the chairman to “satisfy himself before accepting any resignation that the resignation(s) was voluntary and genuine making good use of the agency of the senate secretariat or through such other agency(ies)”.

According to the original rule 16: “When a member resigns his seat under clause (1) of Article 64 of the Constitution, the chairman shall, as soon as may be, after he has received an intimation in writing from a member under his hand writing resigning his seat in the Senate inform the Senate of the resignation by such member.”

And the proposed amendment says: “If the chairman receives the letter of resignation by post, through someone else, or by any other means, he shall make such inquiry as he thinks fit to satisfy himself that the resignation was voluntary and genuine.”

“If the chairman after making the summary inquiry either himself or through the agency of the Senate Secretariat, or through such other agency or by any other means is satisfied that the resignation was not voluntary or genuine, he shall not accept the resignation,” the amendment stated.

The clause 4 of the proposed amendment allows a member to withdraw his resignation before it was accepted by the chairman.

The amendment’s clause 6 says: “The date of resignation of a member shall be the date specified in writing by which he has resigned or if no date is specified the date of receipt of such resignation by the chairman.”