DUSHANBE, June 10, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) have considered and endorsed 17 amendments to the RT Law “On the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Tajikistan.”

A regular sitting of the fifth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the third convocation, presided over by its chairman, Saydullo Khairulloyev, was held on June 10.

Presenting the bill on amendments to the constitutional court law, MP Khaticha Hakimova noted that the amendments had been proposed by the government.

“In the future, the Constitutional Court will have the right to fine not only physical but also legal entities and turn them out of courtroom for contempt of court,” she said.  Besides, the Constitutional Court will also have the right to lower the amount of state duties for vulnerable families or exempt them from payment of state duties at all on its own, Ms. Hakimova added.

Speaking on this subject, the lower chamber speaker Saydullo Khairulloyev noted that amendments to the constitutional law have been made more than 40 times since 1995, when the law was adopted.  “it would be better to work out a new law then keep making amendments to the old one,” the speaker said.

MPs voted unanimously voted for the amendments proposed to the law.

Khairulloyev noted that the next sitting of the fifth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the third convocation would be held on June 24 and after that the lower house would go into the summer recess.