The regulation drafting committees of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly have agreed that an impeachment motion against anyone holding constitutional position has to be endorsed from both the Houses though either can initiate the process.

The joint meeting of the drafting committees on Thursday forged consensus that 25 percent members of any House can initiate an impeachment process which however, has to  be endorsed by two-thirds majority of both the Houses of parliament separately. The committees have also agreed to hold a joint meeting for decisions on the issues like referendum. The government’s move to hold a referendum on any issues has to be approved by two-thirds majority of the joint meeting of federal parliament.

“The dispute over the proceedings in two Houses has been resolved now,” said Rekha Sharma, a member of the drafting committee of the Lower House. While both the Houses will have separate thematic committees, there will be three joint committees dealing with the issues concerning the HoR and the NA. Though the issues between the two Houses have been resolved, the Lower House has yet to sort out differences over the number of parliamentary committees and whether or not to suspend a lawmaker in judicial custody.

The ruling alliance is in favour of increasing the number of parliamentary committees to 10 and automatic suspension of any lawmakers facing judicial custody for any criminal offence. The opposition wants seven committees but remains opposed to suspending lawmakers before a court of law convicts them.

Under the current provision, the House suspends MPs only when they are convicted by a court of law and sentenced to jail. The MPs facing corruption charges are suspended after the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority files a case in the Special Court.

The committee is planning to resolve the issue through consensus but will go for voting if required. The draft has to be readied before the next HoR meeting. The new session of the federal parliament is likely to begin on May 6.