Sunday 9 June 2024

The opposition can file a vote of no confidence motion in September

 Prime Minister James Marape's government is not safe from any vote of no confidence yet after controversially adjourning  Parliament using its numerical strength of 69 members.



Former Chief Justice Sir Arnold Amet says after 18 months of a grace period, a motion to  vote against a Prime Minister can be moved anytime when Parliament meets.


Mr Amet also clarified that any member in the opposition can be a nominee to be Prime Minister.


The opposition says it has engaged lawyers to go through Hansard Records and file a case in the  Supreme Court for interpretation.


They will be asking the court for a recall of Parliament immediately.


Speaker Job Pomat has said he would also go to court and ask the court to interpret whether a decision by the Private Business Committee finding the motion of no confidence defective because names of endorsers were written incorrectly. 


The interesting thing with the move by the Speaker is that courts might say it is a waste of courts time when anyone makes a decision and runs to court to seek justification or validation.

A common practice is the affected person  or party does that.


So it would be a very interesting approach taken by the Speaker of Parliament.

Opposition members walked out of Parliament in protest when Speaker opted for a vote to overrule the decision by the Private Business Committee and asking Parliament to vote whether a motion to change the Prime Minister should be put on notice paper the following day.

Parliament voted 69 votes to nil against putting the motion on notice paper.

They adjourned parliament to September as well.



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