1st Ld writethru: Myanmar parliament decides to suspend discussion on bill recalling representatives
Xinhua, August 20, 2015 Adjust font size:
Myanmar's Union Parliament on Thursday decided to suspend discussion on a bill recalling parliament representatives from their constituencies during the present term of the parliament, parliament sources said.
The decision was announced by Speaker of the Parliament U Shwe Mann following debate by 15 representatives.
The bill, submitted by the Union Election Commission for deliberation to become law, was turned down for discussion by a majority vote of 264 against 235 with 12 remaining neutral.
The bill states that a parliament representative can be withdrawn with complaints by 1 percent of the voters of his constituency.
The percentage was blamed for being too low, some representatives said, arguing that if a representative can easily be withdrawn, the work of the parliament will be disturbed.
The Union Election Commission had submitted the bill to the parliament for approval and enactment as law three times since August 2012, but was not brought to the agenda.
The present submission represented the fourth.
The present term of the parliament will last until January 31, 2016. Endi