Senate passes Ombudsman Institutional Reform Bill 2013
The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed the 'Ombudsmen Institutional Reforms Bill 2013' which aims at providing vast powers to the Ombudsman Office for ensuring speedy justice.
The bill, moved by Law Minister Farooq H Naek, provides for making institutional reforms for standardizing and harmonizing the laws relating to Federal Ombudsmen institution and ancillary or akin matters.
The Bill grants four-year term for the ombudsman and shall not be eligible for any extension of tenure or reappointment as ombudsman under any circumstances. The ombudsman will continue to hold the office after expiry of his tenure till his successor is appointed. Any time when the office of Ombudsman is vacant or unable to perform his functions due to any cause the President shall appoint an Acting Ombudsman, who shall perform functions and exercise powers as are vested in the Ombudsman and shall be entitled to all privileges as are admissible to Ombudsman.
When Ombudsman is absent or unable to perform function of his office, the federal tax Ombudsman shall act as Ombudsman in addition to his own duties. An Ombudsman may be removed from office through Supreme Judicial Council on the grounds of being incapable of properly performing duties of his office of his office by reason of physical or mental incapacity or found to have been guilty of misconduct. An Ombudsman shall have powers to punish for contempt as provided in the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003. The Ombudsman shall have powers to review any findings, recommendations, order or decision on a review petition made by an aggrieved party within thirty day of the findings, recommendations order or decision. All government departments will be obligated to respond to the ombudsman's queries within a fortnight, while the ombudsman will also be bound to dispose appeals within 45 days. Under the bill, appeals against the ombudsman's decisions can only be filed to the president, who will be bound to dispose of appeal within 90 days.