KABUL - The Mesharano Jirga -- or upper house of the parliament -- on Tuesday approved by a majority vote President Ashraf Ghani's legislative decree on election commissions’ restructuring.
Earlier, the Wolesi Jirga -- lower house -- had rejected the decree. Bringing reforms to the country’s electoral system was the basic point of the agreement on formation of the unity government and a key promise held out to the people.
Article 100 of the constitution says: “In case the decision of one house is rejected by another house, a combined committee composed of equal members of each house is formed to resolve the disagreement. The decision of the committee is enforced after its approval by the president.
In case the combined committee cannot solve the disagreement, the defeated resolution is considered void. And, if the resolution is approved by the Wolesi Jirga, it can be approved in the next session n of the Wolesi Jirga by the majority of its members. This approval is assumed as enforceable, after it is signed by the President, without submission to the Meshrano Jirga.
If the disagreement between the two houses is over legislation involving financial affairs, and the joint committee is not able to resolve it, the Wolesi Jirga can approve the draft by the majority vote of its members. This draft is assumed as enforceable without submission to the Meshrano Jirga after it is signed by the President.(Pajhwok)