Lower House session adjourned after losing quorum

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Wednesday expressed his dissatisfaction with the loss of quorum at the session, adjourning the meeting until next week.

“I apologise to the Jordanian people as we once again lost quorum,” Tarawneh said, asking the Lower House secretary general to publish names of the MPs who were absent for no valid reason.

“I am determined to inform the people,” he said before leaving his seat.

The Lower House has suffered from a lack quorum several times over the past months, which delayed its agenda and negatively impacted its performance, several MPs said after the session was adjourned.

The Chamber of Deputies was planning to complete its deliberations over amendments to the draft agriculture law during Wednesday’s meeting, but could not proceed as Tarawneh announced the lack of quorum 45 minutes after it started.

According to the Constitution, a Lower House session remains valid as long as 75+one MPs are present under the Dome. 

Less than 60 deputies were present when the meeting was adjourned, and later in the day, the secretary general announced names of MPs who attended the Wednesday’s meeting along with those who were absent, with or without providing a valid reason.

Meanwhile, several MPs called on the government to declare a state of drought in the country, but Water Minister Hazem Nasser said the current rainfall situation does not really warrant such a declaration.