ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly secretariat insisted on Saturday that all the bills originating from the Senate and transmitted to it after passage by the upper house were being processed in accordance with the law.

In response to the remarks made by Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani during Senate proceedings on Friday expressing concern over the National Assembly `sitting on` eight bills passed by the Senate, a spokesman for the National Assembly said the bills were being processed in accordance with the provisions of Article 70 of the Constitution read with rules 144, 145 and 146ofthe rules ofprocedure and conduct of business in the National Assembly, 2007.

He said that Article 70 provides that a bill with respect to any matter in the Federal Legislative List may originate in either house and shall, if it is passed by the house in which it originated, be transmitted to the other house and if it is rejected or is not passed within ninety days of its laying in the house, at the request of the house in which it originated shall be considered in a joint sitting. In pursuance of rule 144, the secretary has circulated among all members of the National Assembly every bill transmitted by the Senate. The details of each bill can be verified from the assembly secretariat.

The spokesman said that under rule 145, at any time after the bill has been so circulated, any minister in the case of a government bill or, in any other case any member may give notice about his intention to move that the bill be taken into consideration. He clarified that no bill can be moved in theassembly or processed in the secretariat without such a notice.

He said that under rule 146, on the day on which the motion for consideration is put down in the orders of the day, the minister or, as the case may be, the member giving notice may move that the bill be taken into consideration. He reiterated that unless any member gives notice of his intention to move such a motion, no further proceedings can beconductedinthisregard.

He said that till date 16 government bills, transmitted by the Senate to the assembly, were processed by the secretariat, considered/passed by the assembly and enacted accordingly. Similarly, 21 private members` bills were transmitted to the assembly which as per rules were circulated to the members. All the bills, of which notices for consideration were received, were put down in the orders of the day. He further said that the bills which were not passed within 90 days of their laying in the assembly were returned to the Senate under rule 151.

The spokesman said that out of the bills referred to the joint sitting, three were passed whereas two were still pending. At the moment, only one bill is pending before a standing committee whereas all remaining bills are awaiting notices for consideration to be given by a member.

He said the eight bills the Senate chairman referred to require a notice for consideration. The office of the Senate chairman was briefed on May 20 about the bills transmitted to the assembly and awaiting notices for consideration. He said it was inconceivable as to why it had been made a point for determination beyond the scope of provisions of the Constitution and rules governing the legislative procedures of both houses.