MEMBERS of the Shura Council are seeking more powers to work as an effective legislative authority.

During the chamber’s weekly session yesterday, Abdulla Al Nuaimi said the 2002 Shura Council Executive Bylaws Law was backward and needs to change.

“We have to come up with a futuristic roadmap for the Shura Council to fulfil its rightful role,” he said.

“It’s time for us to operate in a better effective, practical and logical manner in line with democratic reforms and progress witnessed in the country.”

He cited examples of Shura Council members being just notified of ministers’ responses to queries than being allowed to question the relevant minister directly.

“Besides, the proposals we present have no clear referral mechanism and the process is unclear; we need to know the hierarchy and who to follow up with.”

Constitutional amendments were approved in 2012 to give Parliament and the Shura Council more powers and these were reflected in the 2002 Parliament and Shura Council Bylaws Laws.

However, it did not give the Shura Council powers to direct questions to ministers and have them be present for further questioning, while giving similar powers to only Parliament.

The right to ask questions by the Shura Council was reinstated in 2018 through further constitutional amendments, but restricted them to only a written response from a minister that members are notified about.

Meanwhile, the Shura Council members unanimously approved amendments to the 2002 Shura Council Bylaws Law that would see the closing financial statement presented to the chairman within three months rather than a month following the end of the year.

The chairman has the authority to ask for an opinion from the financial and economic affairs committee before asking for a vote.

MPs have already voted in favour of the amendments which will now be ratified by His Majesty King Hamad.

Shura Council Chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh also notified members about Parliament’s rejection of amendments to the 2015 Protection from Domestic Violence Law.

Twenty-two MPs rejected the amendments, eight approved and four abstained from the 34 MPs present at the weekly session last Tuesday.

Healthcare workers, teachers and caretakers who fail to report suspected cases of domestic violence within 48 hours to the authorities would have been jailed or fined, or both, aimed to ensure such professionals step forward and seek action as soon as they come across suspected victims of violence or abuse in homes.

Members voted to refer it to the services committee for review.

If Shura Council members vote the opposite of MPs, the legislation returns to Parliament for a second vote and back to Shura, before being shelved if no agreement for the go-ahead is reached.

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