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AmendmentOfConstitution

Q.WhatistheprocedureofAmendmentoftheconstitutionofIslamicrepublicofPakistan.
(1996/A)(1997S)(1998A)
1.Introduction:
constitutionofPakistanrigidonebecauseitcannotbeeasilyamended.thereisisrighdanddifficult
proceduretoamendtheconstitutionandconstitutionhasbeenmadeinflexible.Artical238empowers
theparliamenttomakeamendmentand239providestheprocedurefortheamendment.Parliament
hasnotunlimitedpowerstomakeamendmentsintheconstitutiononlyconstitutionprovidesthisright
toparliament.

2.RelevantProvisions:
Art238and239.

3.Institutionwhichcanmakeamendmentintheconstitution:
MajliseShoora(ParilamentisempoweredtoamendtheconstitutionofIslamicrepublicofPakistan.A
billforamendmentmustbepassedbytwothirdsofthetotalmembershipoftheassemblyandthen
senateshouldpassthisbillbyamajorityofthetotalmembership.theconstitutonofIslamicrepublicof
Pakistanconferspoweronparliamenttoamendtheconstitution.

4.Caselaw:
MuhammadBachalMemonv/sGovernmentofSindhP.L.D1987Kar.296.
Itwasheldthatparliamentissupremeauthoritytomakeanyamendmentinanypartofthe
constitution.thereisnoprovisionintheconstitutionwhichputsrestrainsonitspowerinthisbehalf.

5.Object:
Theobjectofintroducingprovisionsforamendmentoftheconstitutionistobringitinlinewith
changingconditionsandnewdemandsandneedsoftimes.

6.Procedureofamendmentintheconstittion:
(i)Wherebilltoamendisoriginated:
Abillamendtheconstitutionmayoriginateineitherhouseoftheparliament.

(ii)Ifthebillispassedbytwothirdmajorty:
Inthebillhasbeenpassedbythevotesofnotlessthantwothirdsofthetotalmembershipofhouseit
shallbetransmittedtootherhouse.

(iii)Billinotherhouse:
Ifthebillispassedwithamendmentbythevotesofnotlessthantwothirdsofthetotalmembershipof
thehousethanitshallbetransmittedtothehouseinwhichitwasoriginatedandthebillwillbepassed
bytwothirdsofitstotalmembership.

(iv)AssentofthePresident:
Ifthebillispassedbythehouseitshallbepresentedtopresidentforhisassent.

(v)ProceduretoalterthelimitofProvince:
Abilltoamendtheconstitutionwhichwouldhavetheeffectofalteringthelimitsofaprovinceshallnot
bepresentedtothepresidentunlessithasbeenpassedbytheprovincialassemblyofthatprovinceby
thevotesofnotlessthantwothirdofitstotalmembership.

7.Limitation:
Thepowerofparliamenttoamendtheconstitutiondoesnotextendtoalterrepealorreplacethe
constitution.anyamendmenttochangethebasicstructure.frameworkandessentialfeaturesisnot
permissibleundertheconstitution.

CaseLaw
P.L.D1998SC1263
Itwasheldthatthepowersbestowedupontheparlimentbytheconstitutiondoesnotincludethe
powertodestroyorabrogatetheconstitutionbeenreferredtoasitsbasicstructureoressential
features.

8.Dutiesofthecourtinregardamendments:
Thecourtcannotdeclareanyprovisionoftheconstitutiontobeinvalidorrepugnantonthegrounds
thatitgoesbeyondthemandategiventotheassemblyoritdoesnotfulfiltheaspirationsofthepeople.
thecourtsaredutyboundstoenforceandintereptthelawinaccordancewiththeamendment.

9.Safeguardtotheamendmentsoftheconstitution:
Noamendmentoftheconstitutionshallbecalledinquestioninanycourtonanygroundwhatsoever.

10.Conclusion:
ToconcludeIcansaythat;theconstitutionof1973isnotflexible.theprocedureofamendmentisnot
easy.parliamentwhichconsistsofthenationalassemblyandthesenatecanmakeamendmentinthe
coustitutionbythetwothirdmajorityofitstotalmembership.

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