Ahmadinejad calls parliamentary law on overseeing MPs unconstitutional

Ahmadinejad calls parliamentary law on overseeing MPs unconstitutional TEHRAN, May 8 (MNA) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that a recently passed law which authorizes the Majlis to oversee the conduct of lawmakers is “discriminatory” and “unconstitutional”. Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a letter published on Monday, which was addressed to Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, who is the chairmen of the special council tasked with settling disagreements and regulating relations between the three branches of government. The law which allows the Majlis to supervise the conduct of lawmakers “is in obvious contradiction with a number of the articles of the Constitution because, according to well-established rules, if an MP infringes on others’ rights by his remarks, insults, or slanders (somebody), the case is subject to legal proceedings through judicial authorities.” He added that the law has also granted MPs a degree of legal immunity which constitutes discrimination between the people and their representatives. Ahmadinejad’s letter to Ayatollah Shahroudi provoked widespread criticism from MPs. MP Ahmad Tavakkoli expressed regret about the president’s remarks, saying, “It would be better if Mr. Ahmadinejad obeyed the Constitution and stopped being obstinate instead of insisting on (his) view.” Mohammad Hossein Farhangi, who is a member of the Majlis Presiding Board, also told the Mehr News Agency on Monday that the president is not in a position to comment on the law in question.