The Rules of Procedure of the Council

The organisation and functioning of the National Transition Council are governed by the Constitution, the Transition Charter, the law and these Rules of Procedure.

The members of the National Transition Council carry out their mission in complete independence, with dedication, loyalty, integrity, dignity and availability.

For the duration of the Transition, the members of the National Transition Council exercise their mandate in accordance with the texts in force.

The seat of the National Transition Council is in Bamako. It may be transferred to any other place in the Republic. The seat of the National Transition Council is inviolable.

The resources needed to ensure the security and order of the seat are placed at the disposal of the President of the National Transition Council and under his exclusive responsibility.

Debates in the National Transition Council are held in the official language of Mali.

Where necessary, members of the National Transition Council are assisted by interpreters and translators under conditions determined by the Bureau of the National Transition Council. These conditions must be the subject of a decision by the President of the National Transition Council.

Any member of the National Transition Council may resign from office. The President of the National Transition Council alone is entitled to receive the resignation of a member of the National Transition Council. He informs the other members of the National Transition Council in plenary sitting.

The President informs the National Transition Council as soon as he becomes aware of a vacant seat, in particular for one of the following reasons: death, resignation and annulment.

He informs the appointing authority of any breach by a member of the National Transition Council of Decree No. 2020-0142/PT-RM of 9 November 2020 setting the procedures for appointing members of the National Transition Council.

In the event of a vacancy in the seat of a member of the National Transition Council, the President of the National Transition Council refers the matter to the appointing authority of that member of the National

Transition referred to in Article 13 of the Transition Charter. The latter replaces the member within eight days.

Outside sessions, the President of the National Transition Council announces the name of the newly appointed member by publication in the Official Gazette.

The Bureau of the National Transition Council comprises:

• one (01) President;
• six (06) vice-presidents;
• two (02) Quaestors;
• six (06) parliamentary secretaries.

The President of the National Transition Council is elected for the duration of the transition.

He is elected in the first round by secret ballot at the rostrum by an absolute majority of the members of the National Transition Council. Failing an absolute majority in the first round, a second round is held between the two candidates who obtained the most votes in the first round.

The President is elected in the second round by a majority of the votes cast.

Cited in Article 72

The other members of the bureau are elected at the sitting following the final adoption of the rules of procedure, for the duration of the transition.

In the event of vacancies, replacements are made under the same conditions. The members thus elected serve out the term of those they replace.

Cited in Article 72

Applications for the other posts of the bureau must be submitted to the General Secretariat of the National Transition Council no later than one hour before the time set for the opening of the ballot.

Cited in Article 72

The President of the National Transition Council communicates the composition of the bureau to the President of the Transition, Head of State, and to the Prime Minister, Head of Government.

The Bureau of the National Transition Council has full authority to preside over the deliberations of the National Transition Council and to organise and direct all services under the conditions laid down by these Rules of Procedure.

It determines, by internal regulatory acts, the organisation and functioning of the services of the National Transition Council. In addition, it lays down the rules for the application, interpretation and implementation by the various services of the provisions of these Rules of Procedure as well as the

Staff regulations and relations between the administration of the National Transition Council and the staff's professional organisations.

The Bureau of the National Transition Council meets when convened by its president, as necessary every week during sessions and once a month outside sessions. It may also meet whenever circumstances so require, when convened by its president or at the request of a simple majority of its members.

The Secretary General of the National Transition Council provides the secretariat for bureau meetings. The Chief of Staff assists the President of the National Transition Council during bureau meetings.

The President chairs the meetings of the bureau of the National Transition Council, the Conference of Presidents, the solemn and plenary sittings of the National Transition Council and the official events of the body.

He has overall direction of the debates of the National Transition Council, of which he is the highest authority. He signs all texts deliberated upon by the National Transition Council and the bureau and appoints to all posts in the administration.

The President of the National Transition Council is the principal authorising officer of the budget of the National Transition Council.

The Vice-Presidents deputise for the President in case of absence or unavailability, in order of precedence.

In the event of a vacancy or permanent incapacity of the President duly established by the Bureau of the National Transition Council, a new President is elected at the next sitting. The sitting is chaired, in order of precedence, by the Vice-Presidents, assisted by the Parliamentary Secretaries who are not candidates for the presidency of the National Transition Council.

The quaestors, under the overall direction and supervision of the President, are in charge of the administrative and financial services of the National Transition Council.

No expenditure may be committed without their prior opinion.

The quaestors are organised as a college.

Except in urgent cases, the college of quaestors meets once a week. The Secretary General and the Director of Administrative and Financial Services, who provides its secretariat, take part in that meeting.

They prepare, under the overall direction of the President and in agreement with the Bureau of the National Transition Council, the preliminary draft budget of the National Transition Council, which they report to the Committee in charge of Finance.

The draft budget of the National Transition Council presented by the Committee in charge of Finance is approved in plenary sitting.

Budget funds are made available to the National Transition Council by the Minister in charge of Finance.

The Parliamentary Secretaries supervise the drafting of the minutes and read them out if requested. They register the members of the National Transition Council who ask to speak, conduct roll calls, record votes by show of hands or by sitting and standing or electronic votes, and count the ballots.

One of the Parliamentary Secretaries of the transition signs, jointly with the President of the National Transition Council, all texts that have been deliberated upon.

When, under constitutional, legal or regulatory provisions, the National Transition Council has to act as the electoral body of another assembly, a committee, a body or members of any body, personal appointments are made, unless the constituent text of that body provides otherwise and subject to any specific arrangements it lays down, under the conditions set out in this chapter.

Cited in Article 19

The President of the National Transition Council sets the deadline by which applications must reach him.

On expiry of this deadline, the President appoints the selected candidates and informs the plenary.

Cited in Article 19

In cases other than those provided for in Article 17, the President of the National Transition Council informs the members of the National Transition Council of the appointments to be made and sets a deadline for the submission of applications.

If, on expiry of this period, the number of candidates does not exceed the number of seats to be filled and the constituent text does not provide for a ballot, application is made of Article 18 paragraph 2.

If the constituent texts do not specify the procedures for appointment by the National Transition Council or for the presentation of candidates by specifically designated committees, the President of the National Transition Council proposes that it entrust one or more general committees with presenting candidates.

After the Bureau is in place, the National Transition Council sets up eleven (11) general committees made up of twelve (12) members each, with the exception of the:

• Committee on Finance, Economy, Planning, Private Sector Promotion and Industry;
• Committee on Rural Development, Environment and Sanitation;
• Committee on Constitutional Laws, Legislation, Justice, Human Rights and Institutions of the Republic;
• Committee on Territorial Administration, Decentralisation, Religious Affairs and National Reconciliation.

The committee in charge of finance is made up of eighteen (18) members, the one in charge of constitutional laws seventeen (17) members, the committee in charge of territorial administration fourteen (14) members and the Committee on Rural Development, Environment and Sanitation fourteen (14) members. The names of the committees are set as follows:

• 1.Committee on Public Works, Housing, State Property and Transport;
• 2.Committee on Education, Culture, Information and Communication Technologies, Crafts and Tourism;
• 3.Committee on Health, Social Development and Solidarity;
• 4.Committee on National Defence, Security and Civil Protection;
• 5.Committee on Finance, Economy, Planning, Private Sector Promotion and Industry;
• 6.Committee on Constitutional Laws, Legislation, Justice, Human Rights and Institutions of the Republic;
• 7.Committee on Territorial Administration, Decentralisation, Religious Affairs and National Reconciliation;
• 8.Committee on Foreign Affairs, Malians Abroad and African Integration;
• 9.Committee on Rural Development, Environment and Sanitation;
• 10.Committee on the Advancement of Women, Family, Child Protection, Youth, Sports, Labour and Employment;
• 11.Committee on Mines, Energy and Water.

The National Transition Council may also set up Special Committees or Committees of Inquiry for a specific purpose. The deliberation creating a special committee or committee of inquiry sets its duration and the procedure to be followed for appointing its members.

For the examination of problems falling within the remit of several committees, the National Transition Council may, on the initiative of its Bureau, decide to create a temporary joint committee to which the committees themselves delegate a number of their members, varying according to the nature of the problems to be studied.

This joint committee may validly sit only during a session. It may divide into working groups whose decisions are endorsed by the joint committee.

The Committees of the National Transition Council may be convened outside sessions, at the initiative of their president or at the request of half plus one of their members, after a favourable opinion from the Bureau of the National Transition Council.

They may also be convened by the President of the National Transition Council.

Where a committee declares itself not competent or in the event of a conflict between two or more committees, the President of the National Transition Council submits the question to the Conference of Presidents for decision.

At the opening of each ordinary or extraordinary session of the National Transition Council, the committees report on the work they carried out during the intersession. The results of this work are communicated to the Prime Minister.

Attendance at committee meetings is compulsory. However, in cases of absolute necessity, a committee member may, exceptionally, be represented by a member of the committee for the vote.

Any committee member absent from a meeting or a plenary without a valid reason forfeits his or her session allowance for the day.

The committee member's absence is reported by the Committee Chair to the President of the National Transition Council, who informs the bureau.

Every member of the National Transition Council must register with a general committee. However, any member of the National Transition Council may take part in the work of committees of which he or she is not a full member, but without voting rights.

As soon as they are set up, all committees are convened by the President of the National Transition Council to elect their Bureau.

The Bureau is made up of:

• a President,
• a Vice-President,
• a Rapporteur.

Any committee that considers itself competent to give an opinion on a bill, a draft deliberation or a chapter of the budget makes a request to the Conference of Presidents. The Conference rules on this request.

The author of a private member's bill or an amendment must be heard at the sittings of the committee devoted to examining his or her text.

When a bill or private member's bill is referred for an opinion, the committee appoints a rapporteur, who has the right to take part, in an advisory capacity, in the work of the committee responsible.

Members of the government are heard either at their own request or at that of the committees.

The committees may hear any person they consider useful to consult.

Committees may hold discussions whatever the number of members present, but the presence of half plus one of their members is required for their vote to be valid. If the quorum is not reached before the vote, the committee meeting is suspended. When the meeting resumes, the vote is valid whatever the number of voters.

Committee decisions are taken by an absolute majority of the votes cast.

Committee Chairs do not have a casting vote. Committee reports and opinions must be read and approved in committee before being tabled with the Bureau of the National Transition Council. As soon as a draft deliberation, a proposed deliberation or a report is tabled, it is distributed to the members of the National Transition Council by the administrative services of the National Transition Council.

However, at the end of committee proceedings, a report is published in the communication channels of the National Transition Council, giving an account of the committee's work.

Minutes are drawn up of committee meetings, which must indicate in particular the names of the members present, excused or absent, the committee's decisions and the results of votes.

Only members of the National Transition Council and members of the Government may consult, on the premises, the minutes of committees and the documents provided to them. The minutes are confidential. They may not be published or communicated to the press.

At the end of the transition, all texts not adopted by the National Transition Council lapse.

At the end of the transition period, these minutes and documents are deposited in the archives of the National Transition Council.

The National Transition Council elects, from among its members, an Oversight Committee made up of fifteen (15) members.

After it is set up and when convened by the President of the National Transition Council, the Oversight Committee elects the members of its bureau from among its members.

The President of the National Transition Council takes note of it and informs the plenary.

The Oversight Committee is responsible for overseeing the accounts and the management of the appropriations entered in the budget of the National Transition Council. To this end, a written report, covering in particular the state of appropriations and the position of expenditure committed, validated, authorised and paid, must be provided to it by the quaestors at the end of each quarter.

The Oversight Committee submits a quarterly oversight report to the Bureau of the National Transition Council. It is examined in plenary sitting as soon as possible.

The Oversight Committee, after reconciling the treasury accounts with the accounts kept by the financial services under the responsibility of the quaestors, reports in writing to the National Transition Council, at the end of the budget year, on the performance of the oversight mandate entrusted to it.

The final annual accounts for each financial year are sent to the Accounts Section of the Supreme Court by the President of the National Transition Council.

During plenary sittings, the President of the National Transition Council keeps order in the debates.

He may have any person who disturbs order expelled from the chamber after a warning.

In the event of a crime or offence, the President of the National Transition Council has it recorded in the minutes of the debates, which he immediately transmits to the Prosecutor General at the Supreme Court.

Subject to the provisions of these Rules of Procedure, no person outside the National Transition Council and the Government may enter the Chamber. Persons admitted to the part reserved for the public must be decently dressed and observe the most complete silence.

Any person who gives noisy signs of approval or disapproval is immediately expelled by the ushers or officers responsible for maintaining order.

Any personal attack, any demonstration or interruption disturbing order, any interpellation from one colleague to another is prohibited.

If the assembly is tumultuous, the President may announce that he will suspend the sitting. If calm is not restored, he suspends the sitting. When the sitting resumes, and if circumstances again require it, the President closes the sitting.

During these suspensions of the sitting, the members of the National Transition Council leave the chamber.

Any member of the National Transition Council is liable to penalties in the event of:

• unjustified absences from committee work and plenary sittings;
• remarks or conduct undermining the credibility of the body or its members.

Cited in Articles 464749

The disciplinary penalties applicable to members of the National Transition Council during plenary sittings are:

• a call to order;
• a call to order with entry in the minutes;
• simple censure with entry in the minutes;
• censure with temporary exclusion, the duration of which may not exceed one sitting.

The call to order is pronounced by the President of the National Transition Council.

Any member of the National Transition Council who causes any disturbance in the National Transition Council by interruptions, personal attacks or in any other way is called to order. The floor is given to a member who, having been called to order, has complied and asks to justify himself or herself.

A call to order with entry in the minutes is pronounced when a member of the National Transition Council has been called to order twice during the same sitting.

The President, after giving the floor to the member concerned to justify himself or herself, if requested, must consult the National Transition Council, which decides by a show of hands without debate whether the member will be heard again on the same question,

The incident is recorded in the minutes of the sitting.

Simple censure is pronounced against any member of the National Transition Council who:

• after a call to order with entry in the minutes, has failed to comply with the instructions of the President of the National Transition Council;
• has caused a tumultuous scene;
• has directed insults, provocations and threats at one or more colleagues.

Simple censure entails a ban on speaking during the sitting.

Censure with temporary exclusion is pronounced against any member of the National Transition Council who, in public sitting:

• has incited violence;
• has committed contempt towards a member of the National Transition Council or towards its President;
• has been guilty of insults, provocations or threats against the President or Vice-President of the Transition, the Prime Minister or a member of the Government.

Censure with temporary exclusion entails a ban on taking part in the work of the National Transition Council and on reappearing in the palace of the National Transition Council until the end of the sitting day following the one on which the measure was pronounced.

If the member of the National Transition Council refuses to comply with the President's instruction to leave the National Transition Council, the sitting is suspended.

In this case, and also where censure with temporary exclusion is applied for the second time to a member of the National Transition Council, the exclusion extends to thirty (30) sitting days of the same session.

Simple censure and censure with temporary exclusion are pronounced by the National Transition Council, by sitting and standing and without debate, on the proposal of the President of the National Transition Council.

The member of the National Transition Council against whom either of these disciplinary penalties is requested always has the right to be heard or to have one of his or her colleagues heard on his or her behalf.

Simple censure automatically entails the loss, for one (1) month, of one third of the session allowance.

Censure with temporary exclusion automatically entails the loss of half the session allowance for one (1) month.

Temporary exclusion applied for the second time automatically entails the loss of half the session allowance for two (2) months.

Members of the National Transition Council enjoy parliamentary immunity. To be admissible, a request to lift the parliamentary immunity of a member of the National Transition Council must be addressed to the President of the National Transition Council by the Prime Minister.

The President of the National Transition Council informs the Bureau.

For the examination of each request to lift the parliamentary immunity of a member of the National Transition Council, each request to suspend proceedings already instituted or each request to suspend the detention of a member of the National Transition Council, an ad hoc committee is set up whose size and composition are determined by the plenary.

The committee must hear the member of the National Transition Council concerned, who may be assisted by one of his or her colleagues.

In the debates opened by the National Transition Council in public sitting on questions of parliamentary immunity, only the committee's rapporteur, the Government, the member of the National Transition Council concerned or a member of the National Transition Council representing him or her, one speaker for and one speaker against may speak.

At the end of the debates, a resolution is voted on the basis of the report presented by the ad hoc committee. The resolution is communicated to the Government by the President of the National Transition Council.

The penalties applicable to the acts provided for in Article 38 are:

• a warning;
• suspension;
• exclusion.

A warning is a caution pronounced by the President of the National Transition Council against any member who has breached the provisions of Article 38.

A warning has no consequences for the member's status.

The decision issuing a warning is notified in writing and filed in the archives of the National Transition Council.

Suspension consists of prohibiting a member from taking part in the activities of the National Transition Council.

Suspension may occur either after a warning or directly, depending on the seriousness of the alleged acts, by decision of the bureau. It is notified to the member concerned by the President of the National Transition Council, who informs the plenary.

It is temporary and may not exceed 30 days.

During the suspension, the member concerned forfeits his or her salary and allowances.

The decision ordering the suspension is filed in the archives of the National Transition Council.

Exclusion is pronounced in the event of repeat offences or serious breaches of the provisions of Article 38 in particular in the following cases:

• incitement to violence;
• insults and threats against one or more members of the National Transition Council or one or more members of the Government;
• spreading false information and remarks detrimental to the stability of the Transition.

Exclusion is proposed to the President of the Transition by the President of the National Transition Council after the opinion of a committee set up for this purpose.

Government bills referred to the National Transition Council by the Government are tabled with its bureau. The same applies to the Action Plan of the Transition roadmap,

Private members' bills from members of the National Transition Council must be made in writing and addressed to the President of the National Transition Council, who brings them to the attention of the members of the National Transition Council.

Bills and private members' bills are distributed to the members of the National Transition Council and referred to the competent committee for examination.

They are registered and numbered in order of arrival on a general register recording the action taken on them.

Bills and private members' bills submitted for deliberation by the National Transition Council must be examined during the session in which they were tabled or, at the latest, during the following session.

Private members' bills from members of the National Transition Council are communicated to the Government, which must acknowledge receipt.

In that case, the members of the National Transition Council and the members of the Government have the right of amendment.

No proposal tending to increase expenditure or reduce revenue may be placed on the agenda unless it is supplemented by a provision tending to provide equivalent resources.

Private members' bills rejected by the National Transition Council may not be reintroduced for one (1) month.

The agenda of the National Transition Council comprises:

• adoption of the minutes of the previous sitting;
• the oral questions listed;
• bills and private members' bills listed as a priority;
• the other items listed.

Cited in Article 90

The Conference of Presidents comprises the President of the National Transition Council, the Vice-Presidents of the National Transition Council, one Quaestor, the Chairs of the general Committees and the General Rapporteur of the Finance Committee. It is convened every week as necessary by the President of the National Transition Council on the day and at the time set by him. It examines the agenda of the work of the National Transition Council and makes any proposals concerning the settlement of the agenda, in addition to the discussions given priority by the Government.

The Government is informed by the President of the National Transition Council of the day and time of the Conference. It delegates a representative.

The agenda drawn up by the Conference of Presidents is immediately posted and notified to the Government.

The proposals of the Conference of Presidents are submitted for the approval of the National Transition Council, which may amend them, in particular as to the number and order of the items proposed for inclusion on the agenda. Only the Government and, to explain their vote, the Committee Chairs or their representatives who attended the Conference may speak.

The agenda settled by the National Transition Council may subsequently be changed only on a new proposal from the Conference of Presidents.

The Prime Minister may ask the National Transition Council in session for the urgent examination of one or more legislative texts. The National Transition Council sits to examine these legislative texts without delay.

The organisation of the general discussion of texts submitted to the National Transition Council is decided by the Conference of Presidents.

The Conference of Presidents determines the speaking time and the speakers as well as the number of rounds.

The organisation of the debate indicates the allocation of speaking time among the members of the National Transition Council.

The Conference may limit the number of speakers and the speaking time allotted to each of them.

In these matters, the Conference's decisions are final.

Cited in Article 90

The Government has access to the plenary sittings of the National Transition Council. It may take part in discussions and attend votes. Members of the Government may be assisted by one or more staff members.

The National Transition Council may hear ministers in public plenary sitting or in closed session on matters within their remit.

The sittings of the National Transition Council are public.

They may be held in closed session at the request of the President of the National Transition Council, the Conference of Presidents or the Prime Minister.

Plenary sittings are broadcast live or in full recording by the State media or any other media that offers to do so free of charge, by decision of the bureau or the Conference of Presidents.

The President opens the sitting, directs the debates, ensures the rules are observed and maintains order. He may suspend or close the sitting at any time.

The parliamentary secretaries supervise the drafting of the minutes, record the votes and the results of ballots; they check voting delegations; the presence of at least two of them on the presidium is compulsory.

At the start of each sitting, the President has a roll call of the members of the National Transition Council taken. He submits the minutes of the previous sitting to the National Transition Council for adoption.

The minutes of the last sitting of a session are submitted for approval to the National Transition Council before that sitting is closed.

After its adoption, the minutes bear the signature of the President or of the Vice-President who chaired the sitting and that of two Parliamentary Secretaries.

If the minutes are rejected, their discussion is placed at the top of the agenda of the following sitting; in that case, the verbatim report, signed by the President and countersigned by the two Parliamentary Secretaries, is authoritative for the validity of the texts adopted during the new sitting.

A summary of the minutes is published in the Official Gazette as soon as possible by the administration of the National Transition Council, together with all decisions on insertion taken by the National Transition Council.

After the adoption of the minutes, the President reads out the list of bills and private members' bills tabled with the bureau of the National Transition Council.

Before moving to the agenda, the President informs the National Transition Council of the apologies for absence presented by its members.

No motion, resolution or proposal may be put to the vote of the National Transition Council without first having been the subject of a report by the competent committee under the conditions laid down in the Rules.

Any member of the National Transition Council may apologise for being unable to attend a given sitting. He or she may request leave from the National Transition Council. Requests must be in writing, reasoned and addressed to the President of the National Transition Council.

They must be submitted, for an opinion, to the Chair of the Committee to which the member of the National Transition Council belongs.

No member of the National Transition Council may speak until they have requested the floor from the President of the National Transition Council and obtained it.

Members of the National Transition Council wishing to speak register with the President, who determines the order in which they are called to take the floor.

Each speaker's speaking time is limited.

The speaker speaks from the rostrum or from his or her seat; the President may invite him or her to the rostrum.

The speaker must not stray from the question, otherwise the President calls him or her back to it. If the speaker does not comply with this call, or speaks without having obtained permission, or seeks to continue after being asked to conclude, or reads out a speech, the President may withdraw the floor. In that case, the President orders that the speaker's words not appear in the minutes.

Cited in Articles 9093

Ministers in charge of a file, and the Chairs and Rapporteurs of the committees responsible, are given the floor when they request it.

The presiding officer may speak in a debate only to present the state of the question or to bring the speaker back to it.

The floor is given, as a priority over the main question and for five (5) minutes, to any member of the National Transition Council who requests it for a point of order under the Rules of Procedure. If the speech clearly has no connection with the Rules, the President may withdraw the floor in accordance with the provisions of these Rules of Procedure.

Preliminary motions may be raised at any time during the discussion; they are put to the vote immediately before the main question and, where applicable, before the amendments.

Only the author of the motion, one speaker of the opposing view, the Government and the president or rapporteur of the committee responsible have the right to speak.

Referral back to committee of a bill or private member's bill as a whole, or a reservation on an article, an appropriation chapter or an amendment, may always be requested. When the committee requests or accepts the referral or reservation, it is granted as of right without debate.

In the event of referral back to committee of a bill or private member's bill as a whole, the National Transition Council may set the date on which the bill or private member's bill will be resubmitted to it.

In the event of referral back to committee or of a reservation on an article, an appropriation chapter or an amendment, the committee is required to present its conclusions before the end of the discussion. It must strictly limit its conclusions to the texts referred to it.

Requests relating to the agenda, requests for priority or points of order under the Rules of Procedure always take priority over the main question; they suspend its discussion.

The verbatim minutes of the debates are signed by the President and kept at the General Secretariat of the National Transition Council.

The National Transition Council always has a quorum to deliberate and to settle its agenda.

An absolute majority of the members of the National Transition Council is required for the validity of votes. The presiding officer establishes this majority.

The voting right of members of the National Transition Council is personal. In case of unavailability, this right may be delegated in the following cases:

• illness, accident or family event preventing the member of the National Transition Council from travelling;
• temporary mission entrusted by the Government;
• performance of military service in peacetime or wartime;
• participation in the work of International Assemblies under an appointment made by the National Transition Council;
• absence from the national territory during an extraordinary session;
• force majeure as assessed by decision of the Bureau of the National Transition Council;
• leave of absence granted by the President of the National Transition Council.

No member of the National Transition Council may receive more than one delegated mandate. The delegation must be in writing, signed and addressed by the delegating member to the delegate. To be valid, it must be notified to the President of the National Transition Council before the opening of the ballot. The notification must indicate the name of the member of the National Transition Council called upon to vote in place of the delegating member, as well as the reason for the absence and its duration.

Failing that, the delegation is granted for a period of eight (8) days unless renewed within that period.

It lapses on the expiry of the latter.

In urgent cases, the delegation and its notification may be made by telegram or by e-mail with acknowledgement of receipt and subject to confirmation.

The National Transition Council votes on the questions submitted to it either by a show of hands, by sitting and standing, by public ballot or by secret ballot at the rostrum.

Cited in Article 72

The ordinary voting method is a show of hands or electronic voting.

If this method does not settle the question, a vote by sitting and standing is held.

If the question persists, a public ballot is held as of right.

On any matter and at the request of at least ten (10) members of the National Transition Council, a public ballot is held except in the cases provided for in Articles 8, 9, 10, 70 and 93 of these Rules of Procedure.

In a public ballot, each member of the National Transition Council is given three kinds of ballot papers: white, blue and white with blue stripes.

Each member of the National Transition Council places in the ballot box presented to him or her, when his or her name is called, a ballot paper: white if in favour of adoption, blue if against, white with blue stripes to abstain.

In the case of a secret ballot at the rostrum, all members of the National Transition Council are called by name in alphabetical order. Each member of the National Transition Council places in a ballot box an envelope containing a white ballot paper to vote for, a blue ballot paper to vote against, and a white ballot paper with blue stripes to abstain. Once the ballot papers have been collected, the President declares the ballot closed.

The Parliamentary Secretaries count the votes and the President announces the result. Questions put to the vote are declared adopted only if they have obtained:

• a simple majority for ordinary laws; in the event of a tie, the question put to the vote is rejected;
• an absolute majority of the members making up the National Transition Council for organic laws and for the Action Plan of the Transition roadmap;
• a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members making up the National Transition Council for a motion of censure and for the approval of a bill or private member's bill on constitutional revision.

Cited in Article 93

Once discussion of a text has begun, the continuation of the debate is placed as of right at the top of the agenda of the following sitting unless the committee responsible requests otherwise.

Bills and private members' bills are, in principle, subject to a single deliberation in public sitting.

First, a general discussion is held on the report made on the bill or private member's bill.

After the close of the general discussion, the President consults the National Transition Council on proceeding to the discussion of the articles of the committee's report.

When the committee presents no conclusions, the National Transition Council is called upon to decide on proceeding to the discussion of the articles of the original text of the bill or private member's bill.

If the National Transition Council decides not to proceed to the discussion of the articles, the President puts the bill or private member's bill to the vote.

Otherwise, the discussion continues and deals successively with each article and the amendments relating to it.

After the vote on all the articles, a vote is held on the bill or private member's bill as a whole.

When, before the vote on the single article of a bill or private member's bill, no additional article has been tabled, that vote counts as a vote on the whole.

Before the vote on bills and private members' bills as a whole, the National Transition Council may decide, at the request of a member of the National Transition Council, either that a second deliberation will be held or that the text will be referred back to the committee responsible for revision.

A second deliberation or referral back is granted as of right if the committee requests or accepts it.

Where a second deliberation is to be held, the texts presented at the first deliberation are referred back to the committee, which must present a new report. In its second deliberation, the National Transition Council is called upon to rule only on the new texts proposed by the committee or on the changes made to the texts previously presented.

Where there is referral back to committee for revision, the committee presents its report without delay. It is read to the National Transition Council and the discussion may relate only to the new wording.

When the President of the Transition, Head of State, requests the examination of a text at second reading, the National Transition Council rules only on the amendments that may result from the opinion contained in the message of the President of the Transition.

For the total or partial rejection of these amendments, the vote is held by public ballot by a simple majority for ordinary laws and by an absolute majority of the members making up the National Transition Council for organic laws.

At any time, the immediate discussion of a bill or private member's bill may be requested by the competent committee or, in the case of a draft deliberation, by its author; the request is communicated to the National Transition Council.

When immediate discussion is requested by the author of a private member's bill, without prior agreement with the competent committee, the request is communicated to the National Transition Council only if it is signed by at least ten (10) members of the National Transition Council whose presence must be established by roll call.

The debate opened on a request for immediate discussion may never deal with the substance. Only the author of the request, one speaker against, the President or rapporteur of the committee and the Government are heard.

When immediate discussion is decided by the National Transition Council, deliberation may take place on a simple oral report by the president of the committee responsible.

Only provisions directly relating to the revenue or expenditure of the financial year may be introduced into the deliberations on the budget or on provisional or supplementary appropriations: no draft resolution, no interpellation, no reasoned agenda may be attached to them, and no additional article may be presented, unless it tends to abolish or reduce expenditure, to create or increase revenue, or to ensure the control of public expenditure.

Amendments relating to statements of expenditure may only concern chapters of those statements.

The budget chapters of the various files for which no amendment is requested, whether by the Government, by the Finance Committee or by a duly tabled amendment, may be the subject only of a summary debate. Each speaker may speak only once, except when exercising the right of reply to Ministers and rapporteurs. The duration of this reply may in no case exceed five (5) minutes.

The separation of an article or chapter or a reduction in revenue is admissible only if it includes a proposal for an equivalent increase in revenue or savings. However, any challenge to the assessment of the future yield of revenue thus proposed automatically entails the postponement of the discussion.

Members of the National Transition Council and members of the Government have the right to table amendments to the texts submitted for public discussion before the National Transition Council.

The only admissible amendments are those drawn up in writing, signed by one of the authors and tabled with the bureau of the National Transition Council at least twenty-four (24) hours before the sitting; they must be briefly reasoned; they are communicated by the President of the National Transition Council to the competent committee.

Amendments are admissible only if they actually apply to the texts they target and, in the case of counter-proposals and additional articles, if they are proposed within the framework of the bill or private member's bill.

In contentious cases, the question of their admissibility is submitted, before discussion, to the decision of the National Transition Council. Only the author of the amendment, one speaker against, the committee and the Government's representative may speak.

Amendments are discussed before the text adopted in committee to which they relate and, generally, before the main question.

However, if the conclusions raise a preliminary question, they take priority over amendments on the substance of the question under discussion.

The President submits for discussion in public sitting only the amendments tabled with the Bureau of the National Transition Council.

The National Transition Council does not deliberate on any amendment unless it is supported during the discussion.

Amendments accepted by the committee responsible may not be developed in sitting; their rejection or modification, if requested, is put to the vote as a priority and in that case only the Government, the committee, the author of the request for rejection or modification and the author of the amendment are heard.

On each amendment, only the signatories, the Government, the President or Rapporteur of the committee responsible and one member of the National Transition Council of the opposing view may be heard.

Counter-proposals constitute amendments to the whole of the text they oppose.

The National Transition Council may be consulted only on whether to take them into consideration; if so decided, the counter-proposal is sent to the committee, which must present conclusions within the period set by the National Transition Council.

The amendment procedure applies to counter-proposals and to additional articles. Where a matter has already been the subject of legislation, draft and proposed deliberations likely to amend it in any way are presented in the form of draft or proposed amendments to the text in question.

Before the examination of counter-proposals, the Government may request that its original text, duly tabled with the Bureau of the National Transition Council, be taken into consideration. During the discussion it may make the same proposal for one or more articles or chapters. This request takes priority over the other counter-proposals or amendments.

On the initiative of one of its committees, the National Transition Council may place on its agenda the discussion of resolutions addressed to the Prime Minister.

This discussion takes place in public plenary sitting or in closed session, following the procedure laid down for bills and private members' bills.

Any member of the National Transition Council who wishes to put a written question to a member of the Government must submit the written text to the President of the National Transition Council, who communicates it to the Head of Government. He informs the Conference of Presidents.

Written questions are published in the Official Gazette following the verbatim report.

Within fifteen days of this publication, the Ministers' replies must also be published in the Official Gazette.

When a written question has not received a reply within fifteen days, a reminder is issued and a new period of fifteen days begins.

If, on expiry of this new period, the question has not received a reply, its author may, during the current session or the following one, convert it into an interpellation of the Government.

On the initiative of the President of the National Transition Council or of one of its committees, the National Transition Council may entrust one or more of its members with a fact-finding mission.

Special committees of inquiry may be created within the National Transition Council.

They are formed to gather information on specific facts and submit their conclusions to the National Transition Council. The resolutions adopted by the National Transition Council during the debates on the reports and conclusions of these committees are addressed to the Government.

The Government's replies are communicated without debate to the National Transition Council and forwarded to the committees of inquiry concerned for study. Points not dealt with may be converted into an interpellation of the Government.

No special committee of inquiry may be created when the facts have given rise to judicial proceedings, for as long as those proceedings are ongoing. If a committee has already been created, its mission ends as soon as judicial proceedings relating to the facts that led to its creation are opened.

Any member of the National Transition Council who wishes to put oral questions to members of the Government must submit them in writing to the President of the National Transition Council, who communicates them to the Prime Minister, Head of Government.

Oral questions are entered on a special register as they are submitted. Their scheduling in plenary sitting is decided by the Conference of Presidents.

They are placed by the Conference of Presidents on the agenda of the first sitting of each plenary.

Debates on an oral question may in no case exceed sixty (60) minutes. The Conference of Presidents indicates the allocation of speaking time among the speakers.

The Minister, then the author of the question, alone may speak.

When, following two successive absences of a Minister, a question is called for the third time in public sitting and the Minister is again absent, the author of the question may convert it, there and then, into an interpellation of the Government.

Cited in Article 90

The scheduling of topical questions is set by decision of the Conference of Presidents.

The inclusion of questions on the agenda of this sitting is decided by the Conference of Presidents, as is the allocation of speaking time among the members of the National Transition Council.

Apart from the cases of interpellation referred to in Article 88 paragraph 5, any member of the National Transition Council who wishes to interpellate the Government on the implementation of a programme adopted by the National Transition Council or on a topical issue informs the President in public sitting and tables the request immediately.

The President of the National Transition Council submits the request for interpellation to the Conference of Presidents and forwards it to the Head of Government.

The plenary debate is organised in accordance with the provisions of Articles 53, 56 and 63 of these Rules of Procedure.

The Government bench is occupied by the Prime Minister or by the Minister(s) he deems competent. The National Transition Council always has a quorum to debate an interpellation even if the author of the interpellation is absent or not represented.

The Government may be heard, at its request, in plenary sitting to explain its policy in a specific area or on topical issues.

During topical questions and interpellations, the Government bench is occupied by the Prime Minister or his deputy accompanied by the ministers concerned.

As part of the oversight of government action, the debate on oral questions, topical questions and interpellations is broadcast live or in full recording by the State media or any other media that offers to do so free of charge.

When, pursuant to the Constitution of Mali or the Transition Charter, the Head of Government makes the Action Plan of the Transition roadmap or the policy, oversight and monitoring and evaluation of the roadmap a matter of confidence in the Government, the debate proceeds under the following conditions:

• after hearing the Head of Government, the sitting is suspended for forty-eight (48) hours;
• the President of the National Transition Council convenes, for this purpose, the Conference of Presidents to organise the debate,
• on resumption, speakers wishing to take the floor register with the presiding officer;
• the President puts to the vote the approval of the Action Plan of the Transition roadmap or the policy, oversight and monitoring and evaluation of the roadmap;
• the vote is taken by an absolute majority of the members making up the National Transition Council.

The tabling of motions of censure is recorded by the handing over to the President of the National Transition Council, during a public sitting, of a document entitled “Motion of Censure” followed by the list of signatures of at least one tenth (1/10) of the members of the National Transition Council.

From the time of tabling, no signature may be withdrawn or added. The President of the National Transition Council notifies the motion of censure to the Government and brings it to the attention of the National Transition Council.

The Conference of Presidents sets the date for discussion of the motion of censure.

If there are several motions, the Conference may decide that they will be discussed jointly, provided that a separate vote is held on each. The debate is organised in accordance with Article 63 of these Rules.

It is broadcast live by the State media and the other media that offer to do so free of charge. No withdrawal of a motion of censure is possible once its discussion has begun. Once the discussion is under way, it must continue until the vote.

No amendments may be tabled to a motion of censure.

Members of the National Transition Council take part in the vote by placing a ballot paper in a ballot box placed on the rostrum in accordance with the provisions of Article 73 paragraph 3. The list of voters is signed off as the votes are cast.

Only votes in favour of the motion of censure are counted.

The adoption of a motion of censure by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members making up the National Transition Council automatically entails the resignation of the Government.

Cited in Article 72

When, pursuant to the Constitution, the Head of Government makes the vote on a text a matter of confidence in the Government, the debate is immediately suspended for twenty-four (24) hours.

Within this period and by way of derogation from the first paragraph of the preceding article, a motion of censure meeting the conditions set by that article may be tabled.

The National Transition Council meets on expiry of the twenty-four-hour period to take note either of the approval of the text or of the tabling of a motion of censure.

The notification, inclusion on the agenda, discussion and vote on this motion take place under the conditions laid down in the preceding article.

An organic law sets the allowances granted to members of the National Transition Council.

Members of the National Transition Council are prohibited from invoking or allowing the use of their status in financial, industrial or commercial undertakings, or in the exercise of the liberal or other professions and, generally, from using their title for any purpose other than the exercise of their mandate.

Insignia are worn by members of the National Transition Council when on mission, at public ceremonies and in all circumstances where they have to make their status known.

During deliberation sittings, the members of the National Transition Council wear a sash in the national colours in the Chamber.

In addition, they are issued with parliamentary cards, diplomatic passports, badges and rosettes. The nature of these insignia, cards, badges and rosettes is determined by the Bureau of the National Transition Council.

Members of the National Transition Council may, under the aegis of the President of the National Transition Council, organise themselves to create friendship, fraternity and cooperation groups with other parliaments as well as parliamentary networks.

Friendship groups and networks are created by resolution in plenary sitting.

Nevertheless, the formation of groups defending particular, local, regional, professional or religious interests is prohibited.

The term of office of the National Transition Council is that set by Article 22 of the Transition Charter.

These Rules may be amended as necessary.

The proposed amendment is submitted to the National Transition Council on the report of the Committee on Constitutional Laws, Legislation, Justice, Human Rights and Institutions of the Republic.

Any amendment to these rules of procedure is transmitted to the Constitutional Court.

The President of the National Transition Council is responsible for applying these Rules of Procedure.