The 16th session of Tajikistan’s upper house (Majlisi Milli) of parliament is expected to take place on Dushanbe on August 2.
The session will consider a number of laws adopted by the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament). Among them are laws requiring amendments to the country’s laws on referendum, protection of personal data, migration as well as to the country’s criminal code.
Besides, a new first deputy speaker of the Majlisi Milli will be elected at the forthcoming session, an official source at the Majlisi Milli told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, Sughd governor Rajabboy Ahmadzoda can be elected to this position.
The Supreme Assembly (Majlisi Oli), Tajikistan's parliament, has two chambers: Assembly of Representatives (Majlisi Namoyandagon) and National Assembly (Majlisi Milli).
The Majlisi Namoyandagon (the lower chamber with 63 members) is elected for a five-year term, 22 by proportional representation and 41 in single-seat constituencies.
The Majlisi Milli (the upper chamber) has 33 members and 25 of them (three-fourths of the total number of members of the Majlisi Milli) are elected at joint meetings of people’s deputies of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region and its cities and districts, provinces and their cities and districts, Dushanbe city and its districts, cities and districts subordinate to the center, on the basis of indirect elections by means of secret ballot.
Eight members (one-fourths of the members of the Majlisi Milli) are appointed by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region, provinces, Dushanbe City, cities and districts subordinate to the center have an equal number of representatives in the Majlisi Milli.
Citizens who reached 30 years of age and have higher education are eligible to be elected to the Majlisi Milli.
Each former President of the Republic of Tajikistan shall be the life member of the Majlisi Milli, if he doesn’t refuse to use this right.
The bicameral legislature was introduced in the September 1999 constitution. Prior to that, Tajikistan had a unicameral legislature.
