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Published : 28 Oct 2025, 03:30 PM
The National Consensus Committee has made a recommendation to the interim government to issue an order to hold a referendum for a constitutional amendment to implement the July National Charter on the day of or before the general election.
Commission Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz made the statement at a press briefing after submitting recommendations for the implementation of the charter to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, the head of the government, on Tuesday.
He said, "We have submitted a written proposal the government to hold a referendum before or on the day of the general election. Today, we told the government to consult the Election Commission to decide when to hold the referendum without delay, and to issue a schedule for the (referendum) vote.”
Afterwards, the Chief Advisor’s Office issued a clarifying statement saying, “A misunderstanding arose from a statement by Prof Ali Riaz at the consensus commission press conference.
“Later, in response to a journalist’s question, he clarified that the consensus commission had recommended that the government hold a referendum on the July National Charter on any day before the election, including election day.”
At the press conference at the Foreign Service Academy, Ali Riaz said: "We have proposed this so that the power of the people can be used as a constitutional power to make the necessary amendments, additions, and changes. We hope that this can be achieved through the process the committee has proposed.”
Ali Riaz said, "But we have also made another alternative proposal. Our second alternative proposal, as I said at the beginning, is largely the same in terms of process. There’s only one exception. Our second proposal also says that the government will issue an order and the referendum will be held under the order. It will have only one question. However, the interim government can prepare the 48 items in the schedule of that order in the form of a bill and present them to the public.”
He said that once it is presented as a bill, and if it gains public approval, it would assist the work of the constitutional reform council. But it would not be given to them to just accept, he said.
“It should assist them, by which I mean the constitutional reform council that will be formed. That council will be able to make the necessary amendments, changes and additions to the Constitution while nurturing the spirit of the July National Charter. However, since this bill will be approved by the people, it will help them.”
He said that if the reform council fails to fulfil its duties within the 270 days, then the necessary amendments passed through the referendum will automatically replace the related articles of the Constitution. The constitutional reform council will conclude its activities after serving for 270 days.
Members of the national parliament will be members of the constitutional reform council.
“We have proposed that members of the parliament will take oaths separately as MPs and as members of the reform council in multiple stages. The constitution reform council will create its own rules of procedure.”
“The speaker of the national parliament will preside over the constitution reform council. In their absence, the deputy speaker will preside over the council meetings. In case of both of their absences, the presidium panel formed by the reform council will preside over the meetings.”
Ali Riaz said, “We strongly believe that the constitution reform council will be able to fulfil its responsibilities and under no circumstances will a situation arise where the bills submitted by the government be automatically implemented. We want to maintain this trust.”
