accelerate national reform in order to achieve the objectives under Chapter XVI National Reform, and the preparation and implementation of the National Strategy. In this regard, the Council of Ministers shall report the progress of implementing the national reform plan to the National Assembly every three months.
The bill to be enacted for the implementation of Chapter XVI National Reform shall be submitted to and considered by the joint sitting of the National Assembly.
When the Council of Ministers deems any bill as a bill to be enacted for the implementation of Chapter XVI National Reform, it shall notify the President of the National Assembly and submit such bill thereto. In the case where the Council of Ministers does not notify that the bill is to be enacted for the implementation of Chapter XVI National Reform, if Members of the House of Representatives or Senators deem that such bill is a bill to be enacted for the implementation of Chapter XVI National Reform, the Members of the House of Representatives or Senators comprising not less than one-fifth of the members of each House may sign a joint petition to request the President of the National Assembly to make a decision thereon. Such petition must be submitted prior to the completion of consideration of that bill by the House of Representatives or the Senate, as the case may be.
Upon receiving the request under paragraph three, the President of the National Assembly shall present the matter to a joint committee consisting of the President of the Senate, as the Chairperson, and one Vice-President of the House of Representatives, the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives, one representative from the Council of Ministers and one Chairperson of a standing committee elected by and from Chairpersons of all standing committees of the Senate, as members, to make a ruling thereon.
The ruling of the joint committee under paragraph four shall be made by a majority of votes, and shall be final. The President of the National Assembly shall proceed in accordance therewith.
Section 271. During the initial period within the term of the Senate under section 269, the consideration of a bill withheld by the Senate or the House of Representatives under section 137 (2) or (3) shall be done by a joint sitting of the National Assembly, if such bill relates to:
- (1) amendment to penalties or elements of malfeasances in public office or in judicial office, or offences of officials in an organisation or agency of the State, if such amendment causes the offender to be exonerated from the offence or be excused from the penalty;
- (2) a bill that the Senate has resolved, with a vote of not less than two-thirds of the total number of existing members, that such bill seriously affects the administration of justice.
