ISLAMABAD           -         The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice has finalised the constitutional amendment bill that seeks to increase the existing number of provincial assembly seats of Balochistan from 65 to 80.  The Senate, this week, adopted the report of the committee on this constitutional amendment bill and it would be put to vote in any of the upcoming sessions of the house.  The proposed Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks to amend Article 106 of the Constitution to increase the provincial assembly seats of Balochistan from existing 65 to 80. The bill proposes that the provincial assembly should have 63 general seats besides 13 for women and four for non-Muslims. The bill was introduced in the house on September 2, 2019 by senators mostly belonging to Balochistan and also sought to increase an amendment in Article 51 of the Constitution to increase Balochistan’ seats in National Assembly as well. However, the committee chaired by PML-N Senator Javed Abbasi unanimously rejected the amendment on the grounds that the proposal was not in accordance with the constitutional scheme.