Ammon News - By Banan Malkawi

AMMONNEWS - Members of the Jordanian senate are preparing for the upcoming Parliamentary ordinary session, expected to commence on December 1st, 2010, following the voting-in of members of the 16th Lower House of Parliament in the elections set to take place on November 9th.

Political sources said that it is likely that the Senate, the Upper House of Parliament, will be restructured under the presidency of Taher al-Masri following the official announcement of election results, Al Arab Al Yawm newspaper reported Sunday.

It is noted that six senators have already resigned from the Senate. Senator Samih Bino resigned last week after being appointed to head the Anti Corruption Committee.

The five other senators resigned in a bid to run for parliamentary elections, including Dr. Abdullah Nsour, Faisal al-Fayez, Eisa al-Raimuni, Muhammad Dhweib, and Samih al-Momani.

With the above mentioned resignations, 11 new members will need to be appointed to the Senate, 6 to replace the resigned senators, and five others appointed in accordance with Article 63 of the Jordanian Constitution, which stipulates that the number of Senate members should not exceed half the number of members of the Lower House of Parliament, the Council of Representatives.

This raises the number of Senators from 55 to 60, following the increase in number of representatives from 110 to 120.

The amended electoral law endorsed earlier in the year added 10 seats to the House, 6 additional seats added to the women quota, 2 seats in Amman, 1 in Irbid, and 1 in Zarqa governorates.

The Senate is tasked with legislative oversight, to correct legislative mistakes that may be committed by the Lower House, and a monitoring oversight role on the performance of the government.

The Senate has not held any official sessions since King Abdullah dissolved of the House of Representatives late last year. Article 66 of the Constitution stipulates that the Senate convenes when the House of Representatives convenes, and both councils convene in one session.