PML-N President Nawaz Sharif submitted a reference to the National Assembly speaker on Monday against party lawmaker Adil Bazai for failing to vote on the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who also belongs to the PML-N, has written a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan, demanding the disqualification of Bazai and declaring his seat vacant.
Bazai was absent from the session and did not cast his vote. He had initially joined the PML-N before later switching to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
The speaker has called for immediate action to de-seat Bazai.
The government narrowly passed constitutional amendments on Monday giving lawmakers more power to appoint top judges, who have issued a series of recent decisions favouring opposition chief Imran Khan.
This marks the second consecutive “working weekend” for the ruling coalition, which successfully advanced the long-awaited ‘Constitutional Package’ with a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the National Assembly.
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The 26th Amendment introduces several reforms focused primarily on the judiciary. Key changes include the removal of the Supreme Court’s suo motu powers, the establishment of a three-year term for the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), and the authority granted to the prime minister to appoint the next CJP from the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court.
The Senate approved the bill, which contained 22 clauses, with a two-thirds majority on Sunday. Subsequently, the National Assembly, in a session that extended past 5am on Monday, passed an amended version of the bill with 27 clauses, reflecting suggestions made by the Senate.
