The Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) Saturday made its third attempt to finalize members of the joint parliamentary commission for electoral reforms, but the process once again hit a deadlock when some MPs accused others of taking President Ashraf Ghani’s legislative decree on electoral reforms hostage for their personal motives.
Ghani has called on the lawmakers to finalize the decree before going for their summer recess.
“The House of Representatives has taken the decree hostage, because they see their interests in it and they want the decree to be rejected,” said MP Fawzia Kofi.
“We don’t understand what reasons there are which prevent the formation of the committee, as long as we delay the electoral reforms, we are being denounced by the public,” MP Ali Akbar Qasimi said.
The Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of Parliament) has already approved the formation of the commission.
“We are ready to finalize the decree before leaving for summer recess if the House of Representatives takes the initiative and designates their commission members,” Senator Anarkali Honaryar said.
Meanwhile, leaders of the national unity government in their meetings with the UN special envoy to Afghanistan pledged that the election reform process will be in place, by maintaining the role of the national assembly of Afghanistan.
But, the administrative board of parliament announced that government maintains the authority to implement the decree even without the approval of the national assembly.
“We failed to finalize the decree, on the basis of the law, the decree is implemented and government is authorized to undertake reform processes,” deputy secretary of the Wolesi Jirga, Irfanullah Irfan said.
“No need for government to wait for parliament to form the joint commission, I think if the government is determined and does not exploit the election as a political tool, the decree is already implemented and the selection committee must start its job,” said Mohammad Naeem Ayoubzada, member of the Electoral Reform Commission.
The UN special representative to Afghanistan has called on Afghan leaders to implement the reforms and announce the date for the nation’s parliamentary and district council elections.http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/26283-parliament-hits-another-deadlock-in-reforms-move
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