The rules of procedure for the Parliament have been passed.
The rules were passed with amendments made by Parliament to a report from the Parliamentary General Purpose Committee. The new rules were adopted unanimously by 64 members. The new rules of procedure also include the creation of a committee that studies housing matters and proposes legislative changes. The committee also oversees social housing projects, addresses related issues, ensures equitable access to housing, and examines housing challenges faced by citizens.
Under the new rules, the parliamentary recess has been changes from 1230hrs to 1300hrs to avoid conflicts with prayer times, as noted by the Parliamentary General Purpose Committee. The revised rules also specify that if a minister resigns after a question notice has been served, the question becomes invalid, and parliamentarians must resubmit their questions.
Additionally, parliamentarians are now required to provide a notice of 45 minutes for emergency motions, an increase from the previous 15 minutes. The allotted debate time for emergency issues has also been extended from three minutes to five minutes.