YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The resolution drafted by the ruling My Step bloc lawmakers calling on the Constitutional Court judges to oust the President of the high court Hrayr Tovmasyan passed parliament with 98 votes in favor.

Two ballots in the closed voting were declared invalid, and one lawmaker voted against the resolution, counting commission chair Vahagn Hovakimyan said after the vote.

Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan declared that the decision has been adopted.

At least 3/5 of votes of the total number of MPs in the 132-seat parliament were required for the bill to pass.

101 MPs took part in the vote.

The opposition Prosperous Armenia (BHK) had earlier said it is opting out from the vote citing “deficiencies” in the document.

Tovmasyan’s impeachment resolution - “On Applying to the Constitutional Court Requesting to Terminate Constitutional Court Judge (Member) Hrayr Tovmasyan’s Duties” was introduced by the ruling My Step bloc and seeks to formally request the Constitutional Court to oust him as Member/Judge, terminating his powers.

Tovmasyan was elected to the Constitutional Court as a member (judge) by the previous parliament. He was then installed President of the Constitutional Court by the same parliament.

The ruling My Step bloc questions Tovmasyan's objectiveness and argue that he should step down due to his ties to the former government. 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan