ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday unanimously passed the Contempt of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) Bill 2023, a private bill that empowers the Parliament and its relevant committees to initiate action against contempt— including the issuance of arrest warrants— up to six-month imprisonment and or, imposition of a fine of up to one million rupees on the “contemnor.”
The National Assembly has already passed the bill.
The bill was moved in the Senate in the supplementary agenda on the maiden day of the 331st session.
Kauda Babar, Naseebullah Bazai and others are the joint movers of the bill.
Babar presented the bill in the sitting presided over by Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani.
After the bill was moved into the house, the chair asked the treasury benches whether the bill be referred to the relevant standing committee.
State Law Minister Shahadat Awan urged the chairman to allow the presentation of the bill immediately.
“The National Assembly has already passed this bill, and all requirements related to this legislative draft have been fulfilled. There’s no need to refer it to the committee,” he said.
Sanjrani then allowed the presentation of the bill –which was passed by the house unanimously.
Section 5(1) of the Contempt of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) Bill 2023 provides for forming a Contempt Committee by the speaker National Assembly, having representation from both houses; Senate and NA, to take on the contempt of the Parliament.
Section 6(1) of this bill empowers this committee to summon any person on the recommendation of the Privilege Committee in connection.
Section 6(3) of the bill empowers the chairman of the Contempt Committee to issue an arrest warrant for any person should they fail to appear before the committee.
The bill’s Section 9 provides that whoever commits contempt shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with a fine which may extend to one million rupees or both.
