ISLAMABAD Nov 22 (TNS): The Senate will take up the bill on the delimitation of constituencies today after it failed to do so on Friday and Monday’s session due to low strength.
The Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2017 pertains to the fresh delimitation of constituencies in line with the provisional results of the latest census in light of the general elections next year.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi contacted Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah in view of seeking the Pakistan Peoples Party’s support for today’s vote in the Senate.
Sources said Shah told the premier that he can convey his message to the party leadership and requested that the premier give him the request in writing so the party can have a consultation over it.
This Monday, voting on the bill was adjourned as only 22 members were present in the house, whereas the bill required the presence of 69 members for its passage.
According to the new delimitation of constituencies, Punjab’s seat share in the National Assembly will decrease by nine seats, while Islamabad will get one more seat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa five and Balochistan three more.
NA seats for FATA and Sindh will remain unchanged.
Earlier, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had said after chairing a meeting of parliamentary parties that the total NA seats will remain 272 but there would be a change in the allocation of NA seats for the provinces.
On November 13, the Council of Common Interests approved delimitation of new constituencies on the basis of provisional results of Population Census 2017, paving a way for timely conduct of next general elections.
