No-trust notice against deputy speaker submitted in NA

ISLAMABAD: The opposition on Friday submitted notice of resolution for no-confidence motion against National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri in the National Assembly Secretariat.

National Assembly former deputy speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi, PML-N legislator Moshin Shahnawaz Ranjha and other opposition MNAs put signatures on the resolution of no-confidence motion.

The resolution was moved by Khawaja Asif, Khurram Dastgir, Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha, Murtaza Javed Abbasi and Muhammad Sajjad. The no-confidence notice was submitted under clause 7 of the Article 53 of the Constitution.

The Article 53 (7)(c) of the Constitution reads as, “he is a removed from office by a resolution of the assembly, of which not less than seven days’ notice has been given and which is passed by the votes of the majority of the total membership of the Assembly.”

In the notice, the opposition accused NA deputy speaker of violation of the constitution and Rules of Procedures of the Conduct of the Business of the House.

According to clause 12 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 relates to removal of Speaker and Deputy Speaker state, “Removal of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker.- (1) A member may give to the Secretary notice in writing of a resolution, specifying the charges against the Speaker therein along with a motion for leave to move it under paragraph (c) of clause (7) of Article 53 for the removal from office of the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker and the Secretary shall forthwith circulate the notice to the members: Provided that resolution shall not contain arguments, inferences, ironical expressions, epithets or defamatory statements, and in case the resolution contains such matter, the same shall be deleted therefrom. (2) The motion for leave to move the resolution shall be entered in the name of the member concerned in the Orders of the Day for the first working day after the expiry of seven days from the date of the receipt of the notice under sub-rule (1). (3) No other item shall be included in the Orders of the Day for the day fixed for a motion for leave to move a resolution under subrule (2). (4) The Speaker or the Deputy Speaker shall not preside at a sitting of the Assembly when a resolution for his removal from office, as the case may be, is being considered. (5) Immediately after the motion referred to in sub-rule (2) has been moved, the Chairperson shall call such of the members as may be in favour of the leave being granted to rise in their seats and, if at least one-fourth of the total membership of the Assembly does not so rise, he shall declare that the member has not the leave of the Assembly, or, if such membership so rises, call upon the member to move the resolution. (6) The discussion on the resolution shall be strictly confined to the grounds stated therein: Provided that the member who actually moves resolution in the Assembly and the Speaker or, as the case may be, the Deputy Speaker, against whom the resolution has been moved, may speak for fifteen minutes or such longer time as the Chairperson may allow: 8 Provided further that the Chairperson may allow the other signatories of the resolution, or any other member to speak on the resolution, for which he may fix the time limit. (7) The Assembly shall not be adjourned for the next working day until the motion for leave is disposed of or, if leave is granted, the resolution has been voted upon. (8) Voting on the resolution shall be by secret ballot, which shall be held in such manner as the Chairperson may direct. (9) If the session during which notice has been given under subrule (1) has been summoned by the Speaker in pursuance of clause (3) of Article 54, the Assembly shall not be prorogued until the motion has been disposed of or, if leave is granted, the resolution has been voted upon. (10) The Speaker, as the case may be, Deputy Speaker, shall stand removed from his office on the resolution being passed by majority of the total membership of the Assembly. (11) When the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker is elected or removed, the Secretary shall cause a notification to be published in the Gazette.