The National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday passed the Elections Amendment Bill, 2026, seeking to allow the withholding of public disclosure of lawmakers’ assets and liabilities if such disclosure is deemed to pose a serious threat to the life or safety of the member or their family.
Under the proposed amendment to Section 138 of the Elections Act, the bill seeks to insert a proviso stating: “Provided that the speaker of the concerned assembly or, as the case may be, the chairman of the senate my, on an application made by a member and for reasons to be recorded in writing, by a ruling delivered in the chamber, determine that the statement of assets and liabilities of that member shall not be published publicly by the commission if such publication would pose a serious threat to the life or safety of the members or, as the case may be, his family, for a period not exceeding one year at a time and subject to the condition that a complete and true statement of assets and liabilities shall be submitted confidentially to the election commission.”
The bill now requires approval from the Senate and assent from the president before it can become law.
This is a developing story and is being updated accordingly
