MPs elect presidents, rapporteurs of permanent committees

AMMAN — MPs on Tuesday elected presidents and rapporteurs of the Lower House’s permanent committees.

Members of 18 committees held separate meetings, all presided over by the speaker’s first deputy, Ahmad Safadi, during which they elected heads and rapporteurs.

The Secretariat General initially banned the press from attending the sessions and covering the election process, but journalists were later allowed in after the Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh intervened.

Many deputies retained their previous posts as presidents and rapporteurs of panels, including MP Bassam Manasir, who was re-elected to head the External Affairs Committee.

Several presidents and rapporteurs were elected by acclamation, including MPs Kheir Eddin Hakouz (Amman, 6th District) and Adnan Ajarmeh (Amman, 7th District), who were nominated to head the Public Freedoms and the newly created Behaviour and Order committees, respectively.

Deputy Mustapha Amawi (Islamic Centrist bloc) was chosen by a draw as president of the Legal Committee after he gained the same number of votes as Deputy Abdul  Munim Odat (Irbid, 1st District).

Deputies Yousef Qorneh (Amman, 2nd District) was elected as head of the Financial Committee and Fatima Abu Abtah as the rapporteur. 

MPs Bassam Btoush and Mariam Lozi were elected as president and rapporteur of the Education and Culture Committee while deputies Ibrahim Shahadeh and Deifallah Saeedin were elected as head and rapporteur of the Agriculture and Water committees respectively.

MP Jamal Gammo retained his presidency of the Energy and Mineral Resources Committee, whose rapporteur is Deputy Atef Qaawar.

Deputies Tamam Riyati (Aqaba) and Reem Abu Dalbouh were elected as presidents of the Youth and Sports and Women Affairs committees. 

Under the new amendments to the 150-seat Lower House’s by-laws, the number of permanent committees was raised from 14 to 20, with new panels being created or existing ones split.