02/03/2017
6213 times read
02/03/2017
6213 times read
KUWAIT CITY, March 2: Parliament’s Interior and Defense Affairs Committee, during a recent meeting, decided to postpone discussions on the suggestion to grant citizenship to 4,000 applicants this year to March 9th. It will approach the National Assembly to extend the deadline for presentation of the report on the proposed amendment of the electoral law to ensure viewpoints from all relevant authorities are included, reports Al- Seyassah daily. Chairman of the committee MP Askar Al-Enezi revealed that the committee debated the issue of possible granting of citizenship to 4,000 applicants annually. He indicated that the other issue, the discussion of which the committee planned to postpone to March 9, was the proposed amendment to the electoral law. He stressed that the delay was necessitated by the need for an amendment that will consider all relevant viewpoints in order to avoid lapses or legal shortcomings. Al-Enezi explained that the committee went through the proposed amendments to the electoral law. This includes some aspects currently being reviewed at the Constitutional Court as a way of deciding on its legitimacy. The most prominent aspect dwells on disqualifying candidates who are involved in cases of insulting the authority, crimes that tarnish honor, and breach of trust. Council He disclosed that the Supreme Judicial Council sent a letter in which it requested for more time to allow the Constitutional Court to conclude relevant cases before it can express its viewpoint in that regard. Al-Enezi revealed that Ministry of Interior has presented its opinion but the Fatwa and Legislation Department was yet to do so. Meanwhile, MP Dr Jama’an Al-Harbash described the security restrictions against young activists as “catastrophe”, indicating that these restrictions affect all concerned families. He insisted that the restrictions will not be allowed to stand against the youths who participated in a protest, such that it should not impede their promotion or employment into the military apparatus. Al-Harbash said he asked Minister of Interior some questions to which he received verbal responses informing that all those restrictions have been repealed and those facing these restrictions should visit the relevant sectors to ascertain the status. He demanded for a written official decision to protect the rights of those youths who have been stripped of rights only because they participated in peaceful protests. Al-Harbash urged interested youths to attend the March 7th session during which several major bills will be passed, adding that the alleged forgery of citizenship should be established in the court to avoid influence of vested interests.