Lower House notifies election commission of vacant seat

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Sunday notified the Independent Elections Commission (IEC) of the vacant seat in Karak’s 2nd District after the death of Deputy Eteiwi Majali, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Majali died on October 24 due to a terminal illness.

According to Article 88 of the Constitution, the Lower House must inform the IEC of an MP’s death within one month from the date of its occurrence.

The IEC is now constitutionally required to hold a by-election in Karak’s 2nd District to fill the vacant seat within two months of receiving the notification.

Four members of the current Lower House have died: Majali, Mohammad Khasawneh (Irbid, 2nd District), Mohammad Mahseiri (Amman, 2nd District) and Mahmoud Hweimel (Karak, 4th District).

A fifth seat was left vacant when deputy Talal Sharif (Amman, 1st District) was expelled from the House after attempting to shoot his colleague MP Qusai Dmeisi (Zarqa, 4th District) in 2013.

MP Nayef Leimoun (Karak, 6th District) lost his seat after the Lower House received a court decision voiding the district’s election; Leimoun was re-elected by default in April 2013, according to Petra.