Joint Parliament session required to discuss election commission law

AMMAN — The Senate on Monday upheld for the second time its position on the 2015 amendments to the Independent Elections Commission (IEC) Law, thus constitutionally requiring the legislation to be discussed in joint session with the Lower House.

During Monday’s session, the Upper House also referred the draft decentralisation law back to the Lower House after changing the deputies’ version to stipulate a 10 per cent women’s quota in governorate councils, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

For the second time, the Senate rejected the Lower House’s changes to the IEC Law to include appointments in the oversight agency under the jurisdiction of the civil service by-law, insisting instead that appointments at the IEC should be governed by a special by-law.

With the Lower House also insisting on its amendments for the second time, the two Houses of Parliament will have to hold a joint session to give a final say on the matter in dispute. 

According to Article 92 of the Constitution: “Should either House twice reject any draft law and the other accept it, whether or not amended, both the Senate and the Chamber shall hold a joint meeting under the chairmanship of the president of the Senate to discuss the matters in dispute.”

In the draft decentralisation law, the Senate rejected the Lower House’s version of the law, which does not include a quota for women in governorate councils.

Deputies had cancelled a 15 per cent women’s quota that they themselves had introduced to the bill.

The senators decided to amend the bill to include a 10 per cent women’s quota in governorate councils.