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Previously, a bill supporting female genital mutilation was submitted for deliberation, but MPs rejected all proposed amendments, preventing the bill from entering the final reading stage.
Ruling on the bill, House of Representatives Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta said: “I rule that the Women (Amendment) Bill, 2024 has passed the stage of deliberation and all its provisions have been rejected and is now deemed to be rejected.”
He added: “This ruling is appropriate because Parliament cannot afford to do the futile work of allowing a bill to proceed to third reading without a clause.”
“Rule 72(20) of the Standing Orders provides that when a Bill is amended at the stage of consideration, the text of the Bill shall, if practicable, be printed together with the amended memorandum of objects and reasons, but if this is not practicable, the text of each clause or schedule amended and of each newly added clause or new schedule shall be printed, published and circulated to Members before the final stage.”
“This is actually impossible as the bill now has no clauses which are crucial for the third reading and passage of the bill.
Pursuant to Rule 8(1) of the Rules of Procedure, I rule that the Bill is rejected and the legislative process is concluded.”
He explained that Standing Order 72(19) of the Parliament provides that “after the deliberation stage, the Bill shall be referred to the Parliamentary Affairs Committee for the Third Reading.”
However, he continued: “This bill was considered in the committee of the whole assembly, but its provisions were not part of it.”
He further stated that “In this case, the House has never seen the entire Bill being considered at the deliberation stage and I will invoke Rule 8(1) of the Standing Orders which states that “Any question of procedure or order on any matter not expressly provided for in these Standing Orders shall be determined by the Speaker.”
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