First extraordinary session of Lower House begins

AMMAN — The Lower House on Wednesday, during its first extraordinary session, began deliberations over the draft law amending the 2021 General Sales Tax Law.

Head of the House Economy and Investment Committee, Khair Abu Saliek MP, said that the bill entails “no hikes or new taxes”, but it is meant to address loopholes, noting that the bill's provisions came in response to the private sector's demands.

The lawmakers, during the session, referred the Draft Law of Child Rights for the year 2022 to the women and family legal affairs joint committee, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

In May, a Royal Decree was issued to prorogue Parliament’s ordinary session as of Sunday, May 15, 2022, while another Royal Decree was issued in June, summoning Parliament to convene for an extraordinary session as of Wednesday, July 20, to debate a number of bills. 

Meanwhile, Lower House Speaker Abdulkarim Dughmi announced that the parliament and the government agreed on holding a meeting next Wednesday to discuss public affairs-related issues.

The meeting will be held at a parliamentary invitation to discuss issues not listed on the agenda of the non-ordinary session, as under the Constitution, discussing any issues unlisted in the Royal Decree is not allowed, Dughmi said according to Petra.

Dughmi, during the session, also highlighted His Majesty King Abdullah's efforts to push forth the economic modernisation process, notably issuing a Royal Decree to hold an extraordinary session to discuss a number of economic and investment-related laws.