Deputies endorse bar association law

AMMAN — The Lower House on Wednesday endorsed the draft amendments to the Jordan Bar Association (JBA) Law, granting the syndicate “immunity” against being dissolved by the government.

During a session on Wednesday, MPs accepted all changes made by the Lower House Legal Committee to the government’s version of the bill.

In its version, the government preserved its right to dissolve the JBA council at any time for “public safety reasons”.

However, the deputies’ final decision was in line with the association’s desire to protect the council from dissolution.

The MPs also approved 41 other amendments to the bill.

The Lower House started its deliberations over this legislation on Tuesday.

This quick conclusion of discussions is due to changes made to the Lower House’s new Rules of Procedure, under which MPs are not allowed to ask for discussing any piece of legislation unless they register their point with the concerned committee before the bill is discussed under the Dome. 

The new regulations were introduced during the last ordinary session of Parliament, with the aim of cutting down the time spent on deliberations and speeding up the legislative process.

Also on Wednesday, the House Finance Committee decided to form a “small panel” to study the Audit Bureau report on alleged violations in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority. 

The committee’s five members are deputies Yousef Qorneh (Amman, 2nd District), Mohammad Radaideh (Irbid, 1st District), Rudaina Ati (Zarqa), Haitham Abbadi (Voice of the Nation list) and Amjad Al Khattab (Maan, 1st District).

The Lower House is scheduled to convene on Sunday in an evening session to start deliberations over the draft Al Amal Cancer Centre law.