National Assembly's present rules of procedures for opposition leader's appointment are being simplified, by devising a new formula 'greatest numerical strength' to ascertain who commands the confidence of majority of opposition members. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi has said this while speaking in a PTV programme.
He said discretionary powers of speaker for opposition leader's appointment were being curtailed. The speaker would now be bound to announce the opposition leader a person proving the largest numerical strength, within seven days of the ascertainment of the leader of the house, he added.
It has also been suggested that the elections of all standing committees should be completed within 30 days of the election of the leader of the house, while the committees' chairmen will be elected within 30 days of the establishment of standing committees.
Sher Afgan said the 18 members committee headed by him was constituted to amend the rules of procedures and conduct of the business of the NA.
The special parliamentary committee had finalised the amendments in the rules of procedures he said adding the final report would be presented in the NA on February 2.
The main purpose of the committee was to infuse the spirit of discipline in the daily conduct of business of the NA, because lack or absence of discipline hampered the NA working, he added.
Replying a question he said, during the first parliamentary year in 2002, the NA had passed only two bills due to opposition's hostile attitude.
He said 17 bills were passed during the last parliamentary year, adding from 12,000 questions asked, the answers were provided to 2,400.
Replying to a question he said, the rules regarding quorum couldn't be changed as the article 55 prohibited that the one fourth of the total members must be present during the NA session.