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Amman, Jordan (CNN) -- Jordan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Thursday officially named a new MP to replace Hassan al-Riyati, MP for the Al-Umma Party bloc (formerly Islamic Action Front Party), as part of completing procedures to constitutionally revoke his membership by law, following a final court ruling sentencing him to two years in prison.

According to an official statement issued by the commission, a copy of which was received by CNN Arabic, the announcement came in response to a communication from the Jordanian House of Representatives addressed to the commission on July 14 of this month, containing a notification of the vacancy of al-Riyati's seat in the current Parliament following the final judicial decision.

The imprisonment decision was issued after al-Riyati was convicted in a case of assault on another MP, following a lawsuit filed against him over a scuffle that occurred under the parliament dome at the end of 2021, when al-Riyati was a member of the 19th House of Representatives.

Membership of a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate automatically lapses, under the Jordanian Constitution, if a final court ruling is issued against them sentencing them to more than one year in prison in a non-political case and no pardon is granted.

The Independent Election Commission named the new MP days after being notified of the vacancy. Article (88) of the Jordanian Constitution stipulates that if a seat of a member of the Senate or House of Representatives becomes vacant due to death, resignation, or other reasons, the House of Representatives shall notify the Independent Election Commission within 30 days of the vacancy, and the seat shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Election Law within 60 days from the date of notification of the vacancy, with the new member's term lasting until the end of the council's term.

Despite al-Riyati losing his seat, the Al-Umma Party bloc did not lose a seat out of the 31 parliamentary seats it won in the 2024 parliamentary elections. The Independent Election Commission, constitutionally responsible for conducting elections and licensing parties, announced that the new MP is Bakr al-Kasasbeh, also a candidate from the Islamic Action Front Party list (as it was then called) in the Aqaba governorate electoral district, as he received the highest number of votes after al-Riyati on the list, according to the 2022 Election Law.

Meanwhile, MPs from the Al-Umma Party bloc issued statements about proceeding with some available legal avenues to appeal the imprisonment ruling, despite the final decision, including filing a petition for judicial review by written order to the Jordanian Minister of Justice.

The Secretary-General of the Al-Umma Party, Engineer Wael al-Saqqa, said in a statement to CNN Arabic that the party's parliamentary bloc had filed a 'petition for judicial review by written order' with the Jordanian Minister of Justice on Thursday morning, questioning why 'the council and the commission rushed' to name MP al-Kasasbeh, despite 'the availability of legal deadlines for both the House of Representatives and the Independent Election Commission,' as he put it.

The petition for review by written order is an exceptional and unusual legal avenue in misdemeanor criminal cases after the court ruling has become final, as the Amman Court of First Instance in its appellate capacity had ratified it. The petition is submitted by the convicted person to the Minister of Justice or the Attorney General, and is considered if there is a substantive legal violation that the court did not examine, according to legal experts.

Al-Saqqa explained in his remarks to the site regarding the petition, which has not yet been decided upon, saying: 'A request for permission to appeal or cassation was submitted in writing, and the request was referred to a judicial committee, as we were informed, for consideration. The request is supported by about 15 pages containing valid reasons. We had sent a letter to the commission to postpone naming the replacement until the appeal permission is decided.'

Al-Saqqa wondered whether the judicial committee had issued a decision to accept the request for consideration, and subsequent changes to the case occurred, noting that the decision to take the constitutional oath before the House of Representatives is in the hands of al-Kasasbeh.

Local media reported that the House of Representatives will hold a legislative session next Sunday, with the agenda including the new MP taking the constitutional oath.