Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Burmese lawmakers still challenging Constitutional Tribunal

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Tuesday, 28 August 2012 14:03 Mizzima News

The Burmese Parliament continues to challenge the Constitutional Tribunal over its ruling that lawmakers said weakened the Parliament’s ability to perform its duties.

A joint session of lawmakers passed a resolution on Monday urging the nine-member tribunal to issue a statement saying it had mistakenly ruled that parliament-formed committees, commissions and organizations are not union (central) level organizations under the Constitution.

Lawmakers voted 447-168 in favor of the resolution after 22 members including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and also non-elected military MPs discussed the proposal, which was put forward by Pyawbwe constituency MP Myint Soe on Aug. 23.

The tribunal's ruling was made on Feb. 2 at the request of the attorney-general on behalf of the president, asking whether parliamentary formed committees, commissions and organizations are union (central) level organizations under the Constitution.

After the tribunal’s ruling on March 28, 301 MPs signed a proposal in the Lower House asking all of its members to resign by the end of August.

Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann asked President Thein Sein to help settle the dispute, but the president said the ruling was made according to the tribunal’s duties and if the Parliament had issues with the ruling, it could try to change the Constitution.

On Aug. 24, 162 MPs of the Upper House signed a petition to impeach the tribunal.

The tribunal chairperson Thein Soe said the tribunal was only carrying out its duties and it had no intention of resigning.

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