House of Elders
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- Note also the House of Elders of Somaliland
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The House of Elders, also natively known as the Meshrano Jirga is the upper house of the bicameral National Assembly of Afghanistan, alongside the Wolesi Jirga ("people's assembly" or lower house, the main legislature).
It has 102 members. One-third of it (34) are elected by district councils (one per province) for 3-year terms, one-third (34) by provincial councils (one per province) for 4-year terms, and one-third (34) are nominated by the president for 5-year terms. However, elections for the district councils were not held in the 2005 parliamentary elections. As such, each provincial council also selected one of its elected members to temporarily hold seats in the house until district council elections are held. Half of the presidential nominees have to be women, two representatives from the disabled and impaired and two from the Kochis. (article 84 of the constitution)
This house forms more of an advisory role rather than a maker of law. Still, the house has some veto power.
