Almotamar.net - Yemen parliament has on Sunday reviewed a report by the special committee assigned with studying amendment of the article 65 of the constitution, postponing voting until Monday. The committee, chaired by deputy speaker of the parliament Aklram Attiyah, has the view to add a temporary article to the constitution under a number 63 including permission of extending the term of the present parliament for two years ending on 27 April 2011 instead of amending article 65 on extension of parliament tenure for six years.

The committee has justified its stance to the fixed nature of article 65, according to what it has reached at in consultation with professors specialized in the constitutional law.

Speaker of the parliament Yahya al-Raie has on his part stressed the necessity that the final version of amendment should include a phrase stating that the extension must be for one time only. His remark was in reply to calls by the two MPs of General People’s Congress GPC Abdeh Bishr and the Yemen Socialist Party YSP Sultan al-Samie suggesting that the extension should be for three years. Their justification was to allow political parties to reach agreements on topics included in justifications of the constitutional amendment.

113 MPs including heads of parliamentary blocs had demanded amendment of constitutional article 65 in the way enabling for a two-year extension for the present parliament starting from the date fixed for holding the parliamentary elections supposed to be held on Monday.

Parliamentary blocs justified the call of amendment for giving political parties and civil society organisations an opportunity to discuss necessary constitutional amendments for developing the political and electoral systems , including the question of the proportional representation and enabling the parties represented in the parliament to discuss issues which were not agreed on during preparation of amendments on the elections law in addition to formation of the supreme commission for elections.