ISLAMABAD, October 20, 2014: The Minister for Law presented five ordinances during the first sitting of 10^th session of the Punjab Assembly that was marked by low attendance of members on Monday, says the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Four bills including the Punjab Explosives (Amendment) Ordinance 2014, the NUR International University Lahore Ordinance 2014, the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board Ordinance 2014 and the Punjab Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2014 were referred to the relevant committees for two months while the Standing Committee on Local Government and Rural Development was asked to submit a report on the Punjab Local Government (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2014 within seven days.

The Minister for Law also tabled a resolution regarding the political situation in the country which was opposed by a PML lawmaker. A total of 12 legislators – PML-N (8), PPPP (2) and one each of PML-Z and PML – discussed it for an hour and 19 minutes.

Sponsored by a PML-N lawmaker, the House took up a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) regarding firing by a proclaimed offender in Gujrat which resulted in bullet injuries to several people.

Following are some key observations of the proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings:

• The Punjab Assembly met three hours and 35 minutes.
• The House had a prayer break for 29 minutes.
• The sitting started at 1635 hours against the scheduled time of 1500 hours witnessing a delay of an hour and 35 minutes.
• Eighty members (22%) were present at the outset and 37 (10%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
• The Speaker presided over the entire sitting.
• The Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
•  The Parliamentary Leader of PPPP and PML-Z attended the sitting.
• Two minority members were present.
• None of the members applied for leave.

Output

• The Minister for Law laid five ordinances. Four bills including the Punjab Explosives (Amendment) Ordinance 2014, the NUR International University Lahore Ordinance 2014, the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board Ordinance 2014 and the Punjab Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2014 were referred to the relevant committees for two months while the Standing Committee on Local Government and Rural Development was asked to submit a report on the Punjab Local Government (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2014 within seven days.

• The Minister for Law tabled a resolution regarding political situation in the country that was opposed by a PML lawmaker. A total of 12 legislators – PML-N (8), PPPP (2) and one each of PML-Z and PML – discussed it for an hour and 19 minute and adjourned until Wednesday.

• Five reports by Standing Committees on various bills were laid in the House.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Sponsored by a PML-N lawmaker, the House took up a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding firing by a proclaimed offender in Gujrat which resulted in bullet injuries to several people.
• Nine out of 37 starred questions on the agenda were answered by the relevant ministers while 14 supplementary questions were also raised.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers raised two points of order consuming five minutes of the proceedings’ time.
• There was no incident of walkout/boycott/protest during the proceedings.

Transparency

• ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
• Information on members’ attendance was unavailable to observers and the public.

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The Daily Factsheet is based on direct observation of Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by PATTAN Development Organization, a member organization of FAFEN