ISLAMABAD, January 2, 2015: Starting 47 minutes behind schedule, the 15th sitting of the Punjab Assembly’s ongoing 11th session was adjourned due to lack of quorum after meeting for two hours and 27 minutes, says Free and Fair Election Network in its daily factsheet.

PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1139 hours, following which the Speaker ordered the bells to be rung for five minutes. The Speaker ordered for the count twice but the quorum was found to be incomplete. As a result, the sitting was adjourned till Monday.

Four PML-N lawmakers including the Provincial Food Minister discussed the grievances of sugarcane growers for 22 minutes.

The House continued to witness low attendance with only six (2%) legislators present at the start and 73 (20%) at the time of adjournment. The Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting. Following are some key observations of the proceedings:

Members’ Participation in House Proceedings

• The Punjab Assembly met for two hours and 27 minutes.
• The sitting started at 0947 hours against the scheduled time of 0900 hours, witnessing a delay of 47 minutes.
• Only six members (2%) were present at the start and 73 (20%) at the time of sitting’s adjournment.
• The Speaker chaired the entire. The Deputy Speaker was also present.
• The Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
• Among parliamentary leaders, only the PPPP leader was present.
• Two out of eight minority members attended the sitting.
• No member applied for leave.

Representation and Responsiveness

• Four PML-N lawmakers including the Provincial Food Minister discussed the grievances of sugarcane growers for 22 minutes.
• Six out of 13 starred questions appearing on the agenda were answered by the relevant departments while the MPAs also raised 20 supplementary questions.

Order and Institutionalization

• The lawmakers raised six points of order that consumed four minutes of the proceedings’ time.
• PPPP lawmaker pointed out the quorum at 1139 hours, following which the Speaker ordered the bells to be rung for five minutes. The Speaker ordered for the count twice but the quorum was found to be incomplete. As a result, the sitting was adjourned till Monday.
• No protests/walkouts/boycotts were witnessed during the entire sitting.

Transparency

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

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The daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the Punjab Assembly proceedings conducted by PATTAN Development Organization – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are regretted.