Caretaker govt gets more powers after parliament’s nod

• Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2023 approved with majority the vote.
• Subclauses 1, 2 of Section 230 of election act have been amended.
• Interim setup will not have authority to enter into new agreement.

A joint session of parliament on Wednesday approved amendments to Election Act 2017, granting additional powers to the caretaker government to take important decisions on the economy and engage with international institutions.

The bill titled "Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2023" was tabled in the joint session by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi which was approved with a majority vote.

The sub clauses 1 and 2 of Section 230 of the election act related to the functioning of caretaker government have been amended.

Under the amendments, the interim setup will not have the authority to sign any new agreement and make decisions on bilateral and multilateral agreements.

The caretaker government will be able to exercise powers on matters related to the ongoing projects, according to the amendments.

Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar told the joint session that the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms again held a meeting today and examined, specifically, Section 230 of the Election Act vis-à-vis the caretaker government.

He said the objective of empowering caretaker setup is to ensure that the ongoing commitments with multilateral and bilateral do not face hiatus as it negatively affects the economy.

The bill empowers the caretaker government to take actions or decisions regarding existing bilateral or multilateral agreements or the projects already initiated under the Public Private Partnership Authority Act, 2017, the inter-governmental commercial transactions Act 2022 and the Privatisation Commission Ordinance 2000.

The maw minister said that no new powers are being given to the caretaker government saying amendments in section 230 are aimed to ensure that the decisions already taken by the federal cabinet do not face any hurdles.

The bill also envisages measures aimed at ensuring the timely compilation and announcement of election results.

The joint session of parliament has been adjourned to meet again on the 7th of the next month at 11:30am.

PML-N wins over allies

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) successfully persuaded its allies in the Centre to approve a bill granting additional powers to the caretaker setup a day after the amendment bill was deferred in the parliament for further deliberations, sources told Geo News.

In this regard, Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms meeting held with PML-N's Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair to discuss Section 230 — which relates to the functions of a caretaker government.

The sources also said that under the proposed bill, the caretaker government was given “unbridled powers”, which the allied parties, as well as the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), opposed.

After the discussion today, the PML-N agreed to make minor changes in the bill that would allow the interim government to only engage with bilateral donors and multilateral institutions.

Under the new changes, the caretaker regime is given the powers under clause 2A of Section 230, the sources further said, adding that the setup will not have powers to enter into new agreements.

The sources went on to say that the caretaker setup "can use its powers in ongoing programmes".

Before the electoral reforms bill was laid in the house, PTI Senator Ali Zafar reiterated his demand that the house reject the said clause as it was unsustainable.

"If you do not reject it, then the Supreme Court will reject it," PTI's Zafar told the parliament.

The PTI leader said the "dilution" made to the bill was not enough as it was “unconstitutional and illegal”.