Court freezes MPs'' suspension from Parliament
Al Watan staff
KUWAIT: Parliament''s Committee for Legislative and Legal Affairs, during its meeting on Sunday, signed off on a report stating that the appointment of female Cabinet ministers Nouriya AlÜSubaih and Moudhi AlÜHumoud is unconstitutional. The decision is said to stem from the fact that both women do not conform to the Islamic dress code because they refuse to cover their hair.
The committee''s convener, Ali AlÜHajeri, announced that the report has been unanimously endorsed by the committee''s members, which include, among others, MPs Nasser AlÜDuwailah, Mohammed AlÜHatlani and Mohammed Hayef, and that it is backed up by Article 82 of the Constitution and Article 1 of the Elections Law that stipulates that women should adhere to the Islamic dress code.
On the eve of the inauguration of the new parliamentary term on Tuesday, the National Assembly is expected to grapple with a wide range of burning issues, including a decision by the Constitutional Court to strip two former MPs of their parliamentary seats.
Sources have reported that there has been a bizarre twist concerning this particular issue with Speaker of Parliament Jassem AlÜKharafi announcing that he has received a letter from the Administrative Court informing him about a decision to suspend the Constitutional Court''s verdict that revoked the membership of Mubarak AlÜWalaan and Abdullah AlÜAjmi. He also revealed that the Administrative Court is due to look into the case today.
AlÜKharafi affirmed that he will take measures in accordance with the ruling issued by the Administrative Court.
A constitutional expert affirmed that the newly reinstated MPs should be allowed to take their seats in Parliament unless the Administrative Court issues another verdict ruling in favor of the lawmakers whose membership was revoked.
Reacting to this new development, MP Askar AlÜEnezi affirmed that verdicts issued by the Constitutional Court are final and unchallengeable.
He argued that the Administrative Court has no jurisdiction to look into constitutional matters.
Last updated on Monday 20/10/2008
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