KABUL (Pajhwok): The Wolesi Jirga on Wednesday rejected by a majority vote two presidential decrees amending income tax and customs laws.
The president had issued the legislative decrees during the parliament’s summer break.
Azim Muhseni, deputy head of the lower house finance commission, said tax on income had been increased from two percent to four percent under the decree.
He said the amendments were against Article 79 of the Constitution under which the president could not issue legislative decrees over financial issues.
Article 79 of the Constitution says: “The president can issue legislative decree, except on financial and treasury issues, during vacations of the Wolesi Jirga. The legislative decrees should land in the lower house within three days of its first session after the holidays and such decrees could not be implemented if rejected by the house.”
According to Muhseni, they did not involve other commissions of the house in discussing the decree because it was in contradiction with the Constitution. 
Musa Khan Nasrat, deputy head of the transportation and communication commission, presented the amendments made to the customs law in another presidential decree and termed the changes against the Constitution. He and other lawmakers had demanded the decree to be rejected.
Among 123 lawmakers present, only seven voted in favour and the rest rejected the amendments to both the laws.
nh/ma