No candidate wins second deputy speaker seat

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Wolesi Jirga on Saturday once again failed to elect its second deputy speaker, rescheduling the election between two leading candidates for tomorrow.

The Wolesi Jirga 17^th session of third legislative year was opened on March 6, 2021.

Article 87 of the constitution states: At the beginning of their term, each of the two houses of the National Assembly, appoint one of its members to chair the legislative term; and two of its members as first and second deputies; and elect two more members as secretary and deputy secretary for one year.

According to the above article, JavedJayhoon has been elected as the first deputy, KarimAtal as secretary and HujjatullahKhiradmand as deputy secretary of WJ.

At today’s session, the ballot boxes for the new candidates in the third round for  second deputy were put for NajibullahNasar, a lawmaker from Kabul, Shah GulRizayi, a lawmaker from Ghazni, Abdul ShakoorWaqifHakimi from Badakhshan and HayatullahSamangani, a lawmaker from Samangan; but none of the candidates won the required number of votes to win the seat.

JavedJayhoon, first deputy speaker chairing today’s session, after announcing results of the election, said a re-election would be held tomorrow on Sunday between the two leading candidates.

He said 220 lawmakers voted in Saturday’s session and each candidate should have received 111 votes, adding NajibullahNasiri received 77 votes, Shah Gulrizayi 63 votes, WaqifHakimi 32 votes and HayatullahSamangani received 28 votes.

Jayhoon added according to the principles of internal duties, re-elections would be held between the two leading candidates NajibullahNaser and Shah GulRizayi on Sunday.

It is worth mentioning if the two leading candidates fail to receive the required votes, then elections would be held between the two candidates for second deputy who have earlier won more votes in three rounds of elections.

Article 8 of principles of internal duties of Wolesi Jirga regarding elections for the purpose of appointing the speaker and members of the administrative board states: Election process is repeated three rounds maximum, if none of the candidates win a majority in three rounds of elections then election is held between two leading candidates from other constituencies and then the winner is declared. If none of these two candidates win the majority votes then the candidate with highest number of votes shall be put to a public vote.

Earlier, Mohammad AlamIzadyar was appointed as the first deputy, Mohammad Akbar Stanekzai, the second deputy, RahelaDostum, the secretary and Faisal Sami as the deputy secretary of the Upper house.

Hr/ma