Amendments to the Law on National Assembly (NA) and the Law on Provincial Assembly (PA) will give parliamentarians more rights following approval of the amendments by the National Assembly this week.
Members voted on Monday to pass the amendments to the laws at the ongoing ordinary session of parliament. Amendments were made to articles 12, 13, 29, 33 of the Law on National Assembly and to articles 12, 13, 32, 36, 39 and 57 of the Law on Provincial Assembly.
Amendments to the Law on National Assembly give the NA’s standing committee the legitimate right to ask the National Assembly to dissolve a Provincial Assembly if the body causes severe damage or loss to the interests of the nation or the people. Similar rights are given to the Lao Front for National Construction and its provincial offices to ask the National Assembly to consider dissolving a Provincial Assembly justified by the same reasons.
The amendments require the National Assembly to rate or give a score to the performances of the personnel it elects or approves to take up important positions.
Under Article 12, the National Assembly is mandated to elect the State President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Supreme Prosecutor, People’s Supreme Court and other high-ranking posts in state bodies. Parliament also has the legitimate right to vote to remove personnel from these positions.
The National Assembly is also given the right to appoint, transfer, or remove from office the president and vice president of provincial and regional people’s courts.
Amendments to the Law on Provincial Assembly have mandated these bodies to consider the approval of the appointment of provincial and district prosecutors as well as the presidents of provincial and district people’s courts.
Provincial Assemblies are also permitted to consider the approval of the appointment, transfer or removal from office of district or city governors if so proposed by the provincial governor or Vientiane Mayor.
The Provincial Assembly is also mandated to rate or give a score to the performance of personnel that it elects or approves.
The 201 5 version of the Law on National Assembly comprised nine parts, 17 chapters and 104 articles, while the 2015 version of the Law on Provincial Assembly comprised nine parts, 16 chapters and 99 articles.
Yesterday, the National Assembly debated and approved the draft amendment of the Law on Inspection of the NA and PA. A draft Law on Plant Quarantine was also debated.
Today, lawmakers are schedule to debate a draft amendment to the Investment Promotion Law.
Source: Vientiane Times
