Senate Approves Presidential Order For Hindu Seat

News - Afghanistan 


The Upper House of Parliament unanimously approved a Presidential order from Hamid Karzai that would create one seat for the Hindu and Sikh minority groups on Tuesday.
The Lower House has rejected the order last month, saying it was contrary to Afghanistan's Constitution.
In a legislative decree, President Hamid Karzai had asked Parliament to implement changes in the election so as to allocate one seat to the Hindu minority. The legislative order further says that a special election constituency should be considered in the election law for the Hindu minority.
Members of the Upper House said the Hindu minority should have a seat as ten seats have already been allocated to the Kochis (nomads).
"The presidential order was approved in majority and only seven votes were casted against the order," Senate Chairman Fazel Hadi Muslimyar said.
A joint parliamentary commission will now discuss the future of the order.
"The senate's decision is not the final stage, it will be referred to the joint parliamentary commission, and we hope that the joint commission approves the order," Hindu Senator Anarkali Honaryar said.
The Lower House consists of 249 seats. In a presidential order president Karzai had asked the lawmakers to allocate one seat to the Hindu minority and increase the number of seats to 250.

Courtesy: tolonews dot com

Read More

House Rejects President’s Decree For Allocating A Seat For Hindu Community

Sunday, December 15, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The House of People while rejecting the decree of President Karzai with respect to allocation of a seat for the Hindu community of Afghanistan, emphasized on the punishment of the perpetrator of violence against a woman in Herat province.
Chaired by Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi speaker of the house of People, the members of the house strongly condemned the violent act against the women and called it against Islamic teachings.
The members of the House touching on cutting of lip and nose of Mrs. Sitara by her husband in Herat and killing of the girl in Baghlan said that non-punishment of the perpetrators of such criminal acts by the judicial organs causes increased violence against women in the country.
The meeting also issued a statement condemning violence against women urging the government and judicial organs to punish the perpetrators of violence against women.
The house of people discussed the decree of President Karzai for allocation of a seat to the Hindu community and rejected it and called it against the Constitution of the country.

Courtesy: bakhtarnews dot com dot af

Read More

MPs Reject Hindu, Sikh Parliament Seat

KABUL (WNA-Dec.14, 2013): Afghanistan parliament on Saturday rejected President Karzai’s suggestion and called it against the country’s constitution the Hindu-Sikh minority have as seat at the house of people.

They said the president had acted against the constitution, as Hindus with long Afghan nationality are the lowest in population in the country, where there are many other minorities.

Nazir Ahmad Hanafi a house member blamed the presidential office endorsement a draft law allowing Afghan Hindus, Sikh have a seat in the parliament against the constitution and said the move would trample other minorities’ rights if inked by the national assembly.

Ahmad Behzad lawmaker, also believed the move to let the Hindus minority have a seat in the Wolesi Jirga violates the country’s constitution, though he acknowledged they were Afghan citizens like other Afghans.

But, Shukria Berekzai and some other MPs said like other Afghans, they were Afghan citizens and should be provided with a seat in the house of people.

Speaker, Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi delivered the issue to the lawmakers’ verdicts after disputes against and favor overshadowed the decision making session atmosphere.

73 lawmakers voted against the approval of the draft, while 51 others cast in favor, a figure less than the eligible quorum helping Afghan Hindus get a seat in the house.

The Afghanistan constitution doesn’t allow non-Muslim Afghans to enter the election for presidential and parliamentary process, but the president recently inked a draft law based on, a Hindu could attend the parliamentary election to represent his/here minority.

Report: Rahim Malikzai

Edit: Wakht   

Courtesy:wakht dot af

Read More