Jordan Times
Monday, April 26, 2004
IAF deputies agree with House
speaker on participation in extraordinary session
By Sahar Aloul
AMMAN — Islamic Action Front (IAF) deputies reached an agreement Sunday with the
Lower House speaker on participating in the upcoming extraordinary session after
earlier objections on the session's agenda.
IAF deputies met with House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali to reach common ground
between the 17-member bloc and the rest of the deputies on the issues designated
for discussion in the session.
“The meeting was positive and the speaker agreed to include our requests” in the
petition expected to be presented to the government asking to hold an
extraordinary session in June,” IAF parliamentary bloc president Azzam Huneidi
told The Jordan Times.
The IAF had set three conditions for participating in the two-month session:
Discussion of economic and educational policies and keeping the unscheduled
topics agenda.
The Constitution requires that a majority of the House sign a request calling
for holding this type of session, moreover it prohibits the House from
deliberating any issues other than those specified in the Royal Decree convening
the session.
Majali had postponed presenting the signed petition to the government, although
it included more than the absolute majority of the Lower House, until he
resolved outstanding issues with the Islamists.
Some 66 deputies have so far signed the petition, including one IAF MP, Adnan
Hassouneh, Huneidi said.
He added that there was no need for all IAF bloc members to sign the petition
since an absolute majority — more than 56 MPs — was already accomplished.
“We also agreed [with the House speaker] to refer the topics we specified for
discussions with the relevant House committees,” the Amman, 1st District deputy
said. However, Huneidi stressed earlier that his bloc is not against any of the
88 laws included for discussion in the upcoming session.
Moreover, he explained that the IAF's insistence on including the policies on
the agenda is to come up with a strategy to control the budget deficit and
public debt.
Regarding the inclusion of the educational policy, Huneidi said more discussions
were needed on the new school curricula. He added that the unscheduled topics
agenda should remain during the extraordinary session so as to keep the House on
top of current local and regional events.
According to Article 82 of the Constitution:
1. The King may, whenever necessary, summon the Lower House to meet in an
extraordinary session for an unspecified period for the purpose of deciding
matters to be specified in the Royal Decree when the summons are issued. The
extraordinary session is summoned by Royal Decree.
2. The King may summon the Lower House to meet in an extraordinary session at
the request of an absolute majority of the deputies. Such request shall be made
in a petition specifying the matters the House wishes to discuss.
3. The Lower House shall not discuss any issues in an extraordinary session
except those specified in the Royal Decree convening the session.