Sindh Assembly

Background History

• A large part of Sindh was captured by the British Commander General Sir Charles Napier status as a State and became a Commissionerate of British India's Bombay Presidency, being controlled by a Commissioner. In 1890, after the Minto reforms, Sindh gained representation for the first time in the Bombay Legislative Assembly, with four members representing it.
• From that time, a movement to separate Sindh from the Bombay Presidency was established. Resultantly, Sindh was separated from the Bombay presidency with effect from 1 Apr 1936. Subsequently, the newly created Province of Sindh secured a Legislative Assembly of its own, consisting of sixty members, who were elected on the basis of communal representation and weightage to the minority community. Sir Lancelot Graham was appointed as first Governor of Sindh by British Government on 1 April 1936. Until 1937, he was also the head of an Executive Council of 25 members, which administered the affairs of Sindh and included two advisers from the Council of Bombay. Sir Khan Bahadur Allah Bux Soomro was the first CM of Sindh and a close aide to the British Government.

Present Assembly after Establishment of Pakistan

• The foundation stone of the building was laid by Sir Lancelot Graham, the Governor of Sindh, on 11 March 1940. The construction of the building – declared open by Sir Hugh Dow, the Governor of Sindh, on 4 March 1942, was completed within a span of two years. In 1971, after 24 years, it was again declared as the Sindh Assembly building. Since then it has been used as such.
• Presently, the central portion of the building, the Assembly Hall, seats a capacity of 168 Legislators. two-story building of the Sindh Assembly consists of the camp office of CM, offices of Speaker, Deputy Speaker, ministers, Leader of the Opposition, Secretariat, Law Department of Sindh and Library.
• Provincial Assembly of Sindh is a unicameral house of elected representatives of people of Sindh established under Article 106 of the Constitu
  tion of Pakistan. Under this article, the total number of seats for the Assembly through direct vote is 168, of which 29 seats are reserved for women and 9 seats for non-Muslims.

Criteria for Member of Assembly          

• Must be a citizen of Sindh.
• must have twenty-five years of age and should be enrolled as a voter in any electoral roll in
• Any part of Sindh, for election to a general seat or a seat reserved for non-Muslims; and
• Any area in Sindh from which the member seeks membership for election to a seat reserved for women.
• The member must be of good character and not commonly known as one who violates Islamic restrictions.
• He should have adequate knowledge of Islamic teachings and practices obligatory duties according to Islam as well as refrain from major offences
• He must be clever, righteous, non-profligate, and honest.
• He has never been convicted for a crime involving moral turpitude or for giving false evidence.
• The member has never, after the establishment of Pakistan, worked against the integrity of the country or opposed the ideology of Pakistan.

Disqualification of Members

• He found be unsound mind and has been so declared by a competent court; or
• He ceases to be a citizen of Sindh, Pakistan or acquires the citizenship of a foreign State
• He holds an office of profit in the service of Pakistan other than an office declared by law not to disqualify its holder; or
• Is in the service of any statutory body of anybody which is owned or controlled by the Govt or in which the Government has a controlling share or interest; or
• is propagating any opinion, or acting in any manner, prejudicial to the Ideology of Pakistan, or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or morality, or the maintenance of public order, or the integrity or independence of the judiciary of Pakistan, or which defames or brings into ridicule the judiciary or the Armed Forces of Pakistan; or
• has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction on a charge of corrupt practice, moral turpitude or misuse of power or authority under any law for the time being in force; or
• He has been dismissed from the service of Pakistan or service of a corporation or office set up or controlled by the Provincial Government or a Local Government on the grounds of misconduct or moral turpitude; or
• He has been removed or compulsorily retired from the service of Pakistan or service of a corporation or office set up or controlled by the Provincial Govt or a Local Govt on the grounds of misconduct or moral turpitude; or
• He has been in the service of Pakistan or of any statutory body or any body which is owned or controlled by the Govt or in which the Govt has a controlling share or interest, unless a period of two years has elapsed since he ceased to be in such service; or
• He is found guilty of a corrupt or illegal practice under any law for the time being in force, unless a period of five years has elapsed from the date on which that order takes effect; or
• He has been convicted under section 7 of the Political Parties Act, 1962 (III of 1962), unless a period of five years has elapsed from the date of such conviction; or
• Whether by himself or by any person or body of persons in trust for him or for his benefit or on his account or as a member of a Hindu undivided family, has any share or interest in a contract, not being a contract between a cooperative society and Govt, for the supply of goods to, or for the execution of any contract or for the performance of any service undertaken by Government.