Saudi Arabia announces jail-term, fine for violating Umrah regulations
Riyadh : Citizens and expatriates who are found transporting, employing, sheltering or providing cover-up to any overstaying Umrah pilgrim will be imprisoned and fined, Director of Public Relations and Information Administration at the Directorate General of Passports (Jawazat) Brig. Gen. Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saad reiterated on Sunday.
During the launch of the Passport Department’s annual awareness campaign on the Umrah season, Saad said that expatriates violating Umrah regulations will be deported after serving imprisonment and paying fines.
The penalties are multiplied if the number of violators are more than one. The Umrah regulation awareness campaign will continue from Dec. 2, 2018 to June 18, 2019.
It aims to acquaint Umrah pilgrims coming from abroad with the Kingdom’s regulations, which do not allow them to overstay their visas.
The Jawazat has completed its preparations to serve Umrah pilgrims and has readied offices at international entry points.
Well-trained staff have been provided with sophisticated equipment to detect forged documents and fake photos on Umrah pilgrims’ official travel documents, Saad said.
Courtesy : saudigazette.com.sa
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How can govt move amendments to women law before notifying principal Act: Opposition in LS
New Delhi (PTI): Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Friday questioned the government's decision to move a bill to amend the 2023 women quota law before bringing the principal Act into force.
Soon after laying of parliamentary papers, K C Venugopal rose to point out a law ministry notification issued last night around 10 pm to bring into force the 2023 women's reservation law with effect from April 16, much after a bill to amend the Act was introduced and discussed in the House.
DMK's Kanimozhi also flagged the issue, wondering the logic in discussing an amendment after notifying the principal Act.
Opposition members sought a clarification from law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal who was present in the Lok Sabha.
"The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam passed in September 2023 has come into force with being published in the Gazette only at 9.55 pm last night.
"It is shocking that the government brought amendments to a Constitutional provision that was not even published in the gazette! This shows the government’s unprepared and lackadaisical approach to serious lawmaking," Venugopal later posted on X.
He said this is also yet another evidence that the treasury benches look at the Parliament as no more than a rubber stamp, not bothered about the procedures and protocol necessary for a fair legislative process.
An official has earlier explained that bringing the law into force was essential as its proposed amendment will not have come into effect without that.
The constitution amendment Bill became a law but did not become part of the Constitution as the government did not bring it into force.
If a law does not come into force, how can its proposed amendment be implemented. Hence, it was brought into force with effect from April 16, the official explained.
