Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said a vested quarter is trying to create confusion among the people over the number of MPs in the parliament.
He said this while talking to journalists at the Secretariat on Thursday.
"Those who are saying that there are now 648 MPs are not interpreting the constitution properly and I think they are making statements to create confusion across the country for political reasons or they have no proper knowledge about the articles of the constitution," he said.
“As the tenure of 11th national parliament will end on January 29, members of that parliament will get state benefits till that date. Though the lawmakers, who became members of parliament through the 12th national parliament election, have already taken an oath, they would get state benefits after assuming their offices at the parliament,” he added.
The law minister clearly stated that the newly elected lawmakers would get state benefits from January 30.
The law minister, quoting Article 56(3) of the constitution, said: After being elected, we elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as our leader through a meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Committee.”
The article says: “The President shall appoint as Prime Minister the member of Parliament who appears to him to command the support of the majority of the members of Parliament.”
Replying to another question, the law minister said there are 348 current MPs. “There is a difference between taking an oath and taking office.”
