ammonnews.net

Ammon News - The Lower House, headed by its Speaker Abdulmunim Oddat, and in presence of the Cabinet, continued deliberations of the 2021 municipal and decentralisation law.

In its morning session held on Wednesday, Oddat noted the House contacted the Royal Committee to Modernise Political System to study inclusion of their recommendations or proposals in the bill if the lawmakers decided to do so.

Debating the draft, the lawmakers agreed to form the governorate council from elected members per a set quota, as well as each governorate's seats, according to a bylaw issued for this purpose.

The governate council, moreover, comprises representatives nominated by the prime minister from Jordan's commerce and industry chambers and farmers union branches in addition to alloting 25% of the elected seats to women.

Under the bill, Minister of Local Administration is granted powers to postpone the governorate elections, either partially or at a country- scale level, for a period not exceeding 6 months, or extend the council's term.

The minister's authority also covers setting up a temporary committee tasked to facilitate the governorate council's work, in case elections could not be held, provided that the postponement period isn't counted from the 4-year legal period of the newly elected bodies.