Kuwait legislative body approves expatriate quota bill

The bill states that one of the biggest expatriate communities must not exceed 15 percent of the native population. (File/AFP)

• The bill was seen as constitutional
• It is now under consideration by the relevant committee

DUBAI: Kuwait’s National Assembly committee has decided that a draft law proposing a quota for expatriates is constitutional, Kuwait Times daily reported.
The bill will now be referred to the concerned committee for consideration. It states that the Indian expatriate community – one of the largest in the country – should not exceed 15 percent of the national population, which means around 800,000 of them might be required to leave Kuwait.
The committee also lifted the immunity of two lawmakers involved in a corruption scandal, in which a Bangladeshi MP is allegedly involved, the report added. The politician is currently detained in Kuwait.
According to Kuwait Times, the MPs asked for the immunity to be lifted to allow for public prosecution to clear their names as they deny involvement.