Opinion

What really does ‘The Parliament’ stand for?

08 Jan 2016 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Parliament is supreme. Parliament is the creation of the people of this country through a universal suffrage. It is the voter who gives the mandate for Parliament

to function as Parliament to regulate legislations to govern them. This mandate of the people cannot be changed, diluted or annulled by even the Parliament itself.

It is very clear in the Constitution article 92 (1) which state “Parliament shall not abdicate or in any manner alienate its legislative power and shall not set up any authority with any such legislative power”.

Erskin May, the renowned authority on Parliamentary privileges and practices seeks to provide a complete account as is practicable of the role and functioning of Parliament at the present day.

It is therefore clear the peoples mandate cannot be diluted or decapitated by the Parliament itself.
Parliamentary procedures cannot be bifurcated or annulled by Parliament itself. Attempting to do so would tantamount to invalidate the mandate given to it by the voter through universal suffrage.

Parliament is governed by Standing Orders passed by Parliament itself. By converting Parliament into another body, it is proposed to change the nomenclature of the Speaker to Chairman. The Standing Orders does not permit it at all. On the other hand if Parliament is converted into another body, the standing orders instantly become invalidated. Then the Chair cannot take any action against any member who violates standing orders. Speaker is the guardian of the rights and privileges of the members and also responsible for the management of the building, security arrangement and the general administration of the Chamber (section 137).

Another important question to which we should ask is : whether our Mother Parliament has converted itself into a separate body. The answer distinctly is No.

What has to be done is to move a resolution or motion in Parliament to appoint a body or a special committee or a commission, or any other, to consider amendments to the present Constitution, place its findings before Parliament and gets its sanction and go for a peoples’ referendum.

In order to check hasty legislation,the Soulbury Constitution ( 1947 created an upper House called the Senate) But after the abolition of the Senate by the 1972 Constitution there is no provision to check any hasty legislation passed by Parliament. Even section 29 giving protections to minorities is also removed by the 1972 Constitution. Therefore may I appeal to the good senses and the judgment of our present Legislators not to rush through any hasty legislation, which would harm the future of the country by falling into the trap of any conspiracy of such foreign powers or authority.

Opinion

What really does ‘The Parliament’ stand for?

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