Rabbani’s vision of Senate’s ‘majesty’ about to complete

Islamabad
The first phase of Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani’s concept of Restoration of the Majesty and Transparency in Parliament is set to be completed this month as two amendments in rules of procedure of the Senate would be moved in the upcoming session scheduled to be commenced from Monday (July 6).
According to sources close to Rabbani, once the first phase of the initiative of Restoration of the Majesty and Transparency in Parliament is completed, the evolution of the first phase will be started that will continue for two months.
Sources said the main focus of the evaluation will be to see the shortcomings and bottlenecks that come in the way of the first phase of reforms and to address these and streamline the system before the start of the second phase.
Sources told The News that the chairman Senate himself was working on the evolution process of his initiative of Restoration of the Majesty and Transparency in Parliament.
The first phase comprised nine points. The first point of Restoration of the Majesty and Transparency in the Parliament includes public petitions as Senate Rules provide for petitions by the general public on any matter connected with the business pending before the House or a Committee or any matter of general public interest, however, no mechanism was in place for filing and processing said petitions.
On the directions of the chairman Senate, a drop box on the Senate website has been created where the people will be able to file petitions on the public issues so that same can be taken up in the Senate and can also be referred to the Senate Standing Committees, as the case may be.
The public petition process allows ordinary citizens of the country to have direct access to the Senate and participate in the political process. It can raise the awareness and put issues on the agenda which might not otherwise be considered by the Parliament. It can also facilitate Senate’s intervention in addressing issues and problems of public importance.
Second, committee of the whole House, which includes the entire membership of the House of Commons. Senate Rules did not provide for this significant International Parliamentary Practice, therefore, Senate Rule have been amended to provide for conversion of the House into Committee (Committee of the Whole House), on issues of national importance, with the power to require the attendance of any person or summon production of papers, record from any division, department, autonomous body, semiautonomous body or organisation, or examine such persons on oath or solemn affirmation, or invite or summon any person to give evidence in relation to any matter under its consideration, the entire House will be converted.
Third point of the reform package is presence of senior officials during the Senate sitting as an attendance register has been placed outside the Official Gallery for the purpose of marking of attendance by the officials/officers of the Ministries/Divisions business of which will be on the Orders of the Day. In case of any defiance by the Ministries/Divisions in this respect it shall be treated as breach of privilege of the House which shall be dealt with accordingly.
Fourth, the mechanism for implementation of directions/recommendation given by the house and the committee as there have been serious concerns amongst the members regarding non-implementation of directions/recommendations given by the House and its Committees. To address this issue, Senate Rules have been amended to provide for that Ministers concerned shall, after every three months, appear before the House and make reports on all matters referred by the House and recommendations made by Committees.
Fifth is about the discussion on reports laid in the house as the Senate Rules explicitly provides for discussion and further treatment of Reports laid in the House in pursuance of Constitutional and other statutory provisions, however, these provisions were never invoked.
The chairman Senate has given directions that in future all such reports shall be discussed in the house and recently Report of Council of Common Interest (2012-2013) was discussed at length in the Senate and members also made recommendations.
Sixth point is related to reports on public issues as specific time has been allocated by the chairman Senate for raising matters of urgent public importance by the members. Chairman Senate gives directions to the minister concerned for resolution of such issues and practice has been developed that ministers apprise the house regarding steps taken in this regard on the very next sitting of the Senate.
Seventh point is related to self-imposed discipline which was being implemented as the Chairman senate decided to start the House proceedings exactly at the announced/scheduled time. He wrote a letter to the members to follow the rules for asking the supplementary questions and to stop use/misuse of Points of Order for raising issues of public importance. The response of the members has been very good and they have not only been present at the start of the Session but were also following other rules and parliamentary practices.
Eighth reform is related to Calling Attention Notice as the Calling Attention Notice is an important tool to draw attention of the government towards matters of urgent public importance. Senate Rules provided for only one Calling Attention Notice during a sitting of the Senate, however, keeping in view the significance of this important tool Senate Rules have been amended to provide for two Calling Attention Notices in one sitting.
The last point of the reforms package is formation of the parliamentary committees as the Standing Committees and Functional Committees including Finance Committee of the Senate and House Committee have been constituted. Furthermore, Committee on Devolution Process has been re-constituted along with confirmation of nominations for Parliamentary Committee on Judges Appointment in the Superior Courts and parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms.