Earlier in response to the 200 trillion rials (20 billion dollars) revenue defined and passed by the Parliament to be recovered from raising the prices of energy carriers, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had said the rate is not sufficient for executing the plan. During an interview with the state TV, he suggested a referendum to be conducted on the issue.
Headed by Ahmadinejad, the administration insists on having the 400 trillion rials revenue claiming it will enable them to raise support for Iranian families and prevent further problems.
But Qafouri Fard pointed out: "Under the constitution when the leader of the Islamic Revolution intends to make amendments to the law, he will call for a referendum to let people confirm a revision on the issue through their votes."
"On the other hand, when two-thirds of the lawmakers decide to make amendments to the constitution in their own turn, they pass a referendum which will be held if it is endorsed by the leader. So, all the possiblilities for conducting a referendum have been anticipated by the constitution. However, the president is not authorized to hold a referendum on a plan which has already been ratified by the Parliament (Majlis)," he added.
The lawmaker declared: "Although in the TV interview Mr. Ahmadinejad requested a referendum on implementing subsidy reform bill, it's so unlikely for the Parliament to revise the bill because it has become a law and should be enforced."
"The framework of the plan does not make it necessary to be put to a referendum, since neither the lawmakers nor the supreme leader have felt it must be amended. Therefore, although there are differences between the Majlis and the government on the revenues to be recovered from executing the plan, it has been finalized by the former," Qafouri Fard asserted.
He concluded: "The kind of difference is not the one to be settled by the Expediency Council, because the Parliament voted on the issue and it was later endorsed by the Guardian Council. So the government is tasked with implementing the plan and can't shun it."
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