Tenure extended to 25yrs

The parliament yesterday unanimously passed the Constitution (17th Amendment) Bill 2018, increasing the tenure of 50 seats of lawmakers reserved for women to 25 years.

According to the bill, the 25-year period of the reserved seats will be counted from the first day of the 11th parliament. The bill was passed by 298-0 division vote with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq placed the bill before the House.

The incumbent 10th parliament has 350 members -- 300 elected in general elections and 50 women lawmakers in reserved seats. The 10-year tenure of the present reserved seats expires on January 24, 2019.

After the bill was placed in parliament on April 10, it was scrutinised by the respective Parliamentary Standing Committee. 

Nine lawmakers from the main opposition, Jatiya Party (JP), as well as the independent camp placed motions for the inclusion of several provisions in the bill, but the motions were rejected in voice vote by 295-0.

The parliament members, from JP and independent camp, opposed the bill with the argument that the tenure of the reserved seats should be extended by 10 years and some of the bill's provisions are unconstitutional.  

According to Article 65 (3) of the constitution, 50 seats would be reserved exclusively for women in the parliament for 10 years from the first meeting of the parliament after the one that passed the 14th constitutional amendment in 2004.

As per the constitution, the parliament shall consist of 300 members to be elected directly, and 50 more seats, reserved for women, are to be allotted to parties based on the proportional representation of the parties in the House.