Estonia: Amendments to the Courts Act passed the second reading in the Riigikogu

NordenBladet — At today’s remote attendance sitting of the Riigikogu, the Bill on Amendments to the Courts Act passed the second reading. It allows for the Court en banc to be postponed for good reason and to be held partially or fully electronically.

Under the current Act, the Court en banc is convened every year on the second Friday of February, without exceptions.

The Bill on Amendments to the Courts Act (298 SE), initiated by the Constitutional Committee, will amend the Courts Act so that, in the Court en banc, voting and elections may be held by ballot paper, electronically, in written form or in any other manner provided for in the procedure of the Court en banc.

It will also provide that the term of office of members of local government bodies who are judges elected by the Court en banc will extend for as long as the following Court en banc appoints new members to replace them.

On the proposal of the Constitutional Committee, the final vote on the Bill will be held on 20 January.

On the proposals of the sectoral committees, it was decided to remove one item from the draft agenda for today’s sitting, and six items from the draft agenda for Wednesday’s sitting. Then the Riigikogu approved its agenda for this working week.

Under a resolution of the Board of the Riigikogu, the plenary sittings of this working week (18–21 January) will be held by remote attendance. It is possible for Members of the Riigikogu to participate in remote attendance sittings in the Riigikogu Session Hall or in their offices in the Riigikogu or at home.