The Public Voice Poll and PILDAT, in a joint effort, have called upon the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to provide clarification on the current status of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which has reportedly gone missing despite receiving approval from both Houses of Parliament.
Untraceable Legislation: Urgent Need for Transparency & Accountability Stressing the significance of laws enacted by the Parliament in maintaining a fair and transparent legal system, Public Voice Poll and PILDAT emphasize the need to ensure that legislative processes remain transparent and accountable to the citizens they serve.
Originally introduced as a Private Member’s Bill in the Upper House by Senator Irfan-ul-Haq Siddiqui, the bill aimed at the transfer of judicial powers from the executive to summary courts composed of judicial magistrates for handling minor offenses. It’s crucial to highlight that this bill exclusively pertained to the Islamabad Capital Territory.
According to official parliamentary records, accessible through the website and confirmed by Public Voice Poll direct observations, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022, successfully navigated through both the Senate on May 23, 2022, and the National Assembly on June 8, 2022. In the National Assembly, MNA Shaza Fatima Khawaja presented the bill.
As per Article 70 of the Constitution, a bill can originate in either House of Parliament and must obtain Presidential assent after passing through both Houses to transform into law—an Act of Parliament. Additionally, Article 142 (b) and (d) grant Parliament the authority to legislate on criminal procedure and maintain exclusive jurisdiction over legislation concerning the Islamabad Capital Territory.
Unaccounted Bill: Seeking Accountability According to the Rules of Business 1973, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is responsible for forwarding bills passed by the Majlis-e-Shura (Parliament) to the President for assent. Typically, bills receiving Presidential assent are electronically published in the ‘Acts of Parliament’ section on the official websites of both the National Assembly and the Senate. Strangely, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022, is noticeably absent from both platforms.
In the pursuit of upholding principles of transparency and accountability, it is imperative that the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs promptly addresses the concerns raised by Public Voice Poll and PILDAT regarding the missing status of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022.