Parliament of Packilvania
Parliament of Packilvania LuMijhalisgur aluBakhilfaniya | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | Bicameral |
| Houses |
|
Term limits | None |
| History | |
| Founded | |
| Disbanded | 1914 CE |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | National People's Congress |
| Leadership | |
Monarch | |
Speaker of the Consultative Assembly | Prince Ajhar a-Kiran Bedon |
Chairman of the Legislative Council | Prince Ulinod a-Alawadun Bedon |
| Structure | |
Seats of the Legislative Council | 210 - 380 |
Seats of the Consultative Assembly | 3,000 - 5,000 |
| Elections | |
Last election | Great Selection of the Consultative Assembly 2021 |
Next election | Great Selection of the Consultative Assembly 2022 |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| Politics of Packilvania |
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The Parliament of Packilvania (Packilvanian: LuMijhalisgur aluBakhilfaniya) comprises the legislative branch of the government of Packilvania. The Parliament was first established by the Demir dynasty over 300 years ago, however it was disestablished in 1918 following the First Packilvanian Civil War and reestablished in 1985 following the Second Packilvanian Civil War. It is established by the Constitution of Packilvania (Packilvanian: LuKhanongur aluBakhilfaniya). It consists of 2 chambers: the upper house is the Legislative Council (Packilvanian: LuMijhalis aluKhanon) and the lower house is the Consultative Assembly (Packilvania: LuMijhalis aluShrahan). All members of the two bodies are appointed by the Sultan of Packilvania.
Legislative Process
The law of Packilvania consists of statute, judicial precedent, religious law and customary law. Customary law is law that emanates from long-observed tribal traditions. Judicial precedent arises from the substantive legal interpretation of legal matters by the judiciary. Religious law arises from the dogma, rules and customs of religious communities as enumerated by scripture, ritual etc. In contrast statute consists of laws emanating from the Constitution via the Crown.
The Constitution is the highest law in the country. This means that no other law may contravene the Constitution. Furthermore, it states that the Constitution may only be amended by the consent of the Parliament and the Sultan. The Constitution also states that the Supreme Court shall have the final authority to interpret the application of the Constitution. It states that the Crown shall have the power to make law by statute which may supersede all other laws insofar as the Crown abides by the Constitution.
However the Constitution divides different types of statutes that the Crown may create and how these types of statutes are brought into effect. Although all power of the Crown, including the power to create laws, resides with the Sultan, the Sultan's word is not immediately law at his utterance.
The first type of statute is a treaty. A treaty is defined as any agreement between Packilvania and another nation or nations which has legal binding effect within the country. The Crown is empowered to conclude and ratify treaties at its pleasure and requires no consultation or consent from any other body of the state.
The second type of law is appropriation law. The Constitution prescribes that the Crown may pass any appropriation of funds, but it limits the duration and scope of appropriation legislation. Furthermore, it explicitly requires that the appropriation of state funds must be done through a budget law. The consent of the Consultative Assembly and the Legislative Council is required for the Crown to appropriate state funds. Appropriation law is also required not only to delineate state expenditures but to raise, collect and forgive taxes, levees and customs or to delegate the power to do this to another entity.
The third type of law is ordinary law. This any law which does not fall into any other form of law. Here, the Crown is required to consult with the Council of Ministers. However, the Crown is not required to follow the opinion of the Council of Ministers in passing ordinary legislation. Furthermore, the Crown is required to present the law before the Legislative Council. The Legislative Council must be given adequate time to read through and debate the law. Thus, the Crown may only bring ordinary legislation to effect when the Legislative Council present the scroll of sealing to the Throne i.e., an explanation that it has concluded deliberation on a law. A majority of the members of the Legislative Council is required for the Chairperson of the Legislative Council to present the scroll of sealing.
The fourth type of law is a decree. A decree is a law which is passed by the Crown which does not require its presentation before the Legislative Council. This includes matters of the appointment of senior state officials, commutation of sentences, deployment of military forces, declaration of war and nuclear second-strikes, regulation and governance of colonies and other territories, the annexation of territories and delineation of external and internal boundaries, recognition of national sovereignty, nationality, immigration and citizenship, religious rights, internal migration and trade, and territorial waters.
The fifth type of law is delegated law. Delegated law is any law which has the force of law because the right to create such a law has been granted by the Crown through a law. A delegated law is also only valid insofar as the statute from which it emanates remains valid. A delegated law includes provincial laws. Provincial laws typically require the approval of Provincial Legislatures and Governors. Also included are regulations which are issued by government entities. Another type of law, are religious edicts which are granted to the Magisterium of Paxism in Packilvania to issue legally binding laws in the name of the Sultan on religious matters.
Legislative Council
The Legislative Council is the upper chamber of the Parliament of Packilvania.
Powers and duties
According to the Constitution the powers of the Legislative Council include the power to question Members of the Council of Ministers of Packilvania as well as other state officials on state matters, to pass non-binding recommendations and to discuss and debate national issues. In reality, its primary duty is to ensure that the Council of Ministers does not eclipse the Sultan on importance and power. Thus, it has acquired the duty to advise the Sultan on the formation of legislation. This includes reviewing draft proposals from the Council of Ministers on statutes for the Sultan to promulgate. Furthermore, it organizes public consultations on legislative proposals through holding public forums, inviting and reviewing memoranda, letters and reports from the public. In addition, it can launch commissions of inquiry into public affairs and submit them to the Sultan. In theory, it can pass a non-binding recommendation calling for the Sultan to dismiss the Prime Minister and the rest of the Council of Ministers. Often, it expresses its discontent with the Prime Minister by submitting a report to the Sultan outlining areas of concern without specifically recommending his removal. In reality it is the threat of a scathing recommendation that keeps the Council of Ministers in check. Executive interference is also prevented by the Council of Ministers being forbidden from acting in a way that would prejudice or impede the work of the Legislative Council.
Administration
The Legislative Council typically uses the Legislative Council Building because the Palace of Parliament is usually rented out by the government as a venue for conferences, sports competitions and concerts. Furthermore, most of the Palace of Parliament consists of gathering spaces while the Legislative Council Building has offices for Councillors and their staff members. The Office of the Chairman of the Legislative Council is responsible for the day to day management of the Legislative Council including security, administration, facilities and upkeep.
Composition
It consists of 210 to 380 members. Its members appointed by the Sultan. Unlike, the Consultative Assembly, all of its members are appointed directly by the Sultan. Most of the members have served since the ascension of the Bedonite dynasty. Some members date their legislative careers to the National People’s Assembly of the Packilvanian Communist Party. They were appointed to their posts because they defected and supported the Bedonite dynasty's take over of the country. The Legislative Council has two sessions: from mid-March to mid June and from mid-June to mid-November.
Among its members are the Permanent Representatives of Minority Religions nominated by Recognised Religious Authorities, the Permanent Councillors of the Magisterium of Paxism in Packilvania nominated by the College of Great Magisters who are Packilvanian citizens, Permanent Representatives of the Packilvanian Armed Forces nominated by the Chief of Defence Staff, a Permanent Representative of the Packilvanian State Security Agency nominated by the Director of the PSSA, Permanent Representatives of the Judiciary of Packilvania appointed by the Chief Justice, Special Representatives of the Academic Community nominated by the Association of Packilvanian Universities, Permanent Representatives of the Packilvanian Police Services nominated by the National Commissioner of Police, the Permanent Representative of the Packilvanian Central Bank appointed by its Governor as well as Special Representatives of the Provincial Governments nominated by the Governors of each province. These are not the only members as the Sultan can appoint anyone he pleases.
Consultative Assembly
The Consultative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Packilvania.
Powers and duties
The Consultative Assembly is an annual conference of Delegates appointed by the Sultan indirectly via the terms and stipulations of the Decree on the Composition of the Consultative Assembly. Its purpose is to act as a forum for representatives of various entities and social groups to discuss important national issues. Arising from this, the Consultative Assembly has the power to issue non-binding recommendations to the Sultan. Most of its work is done in smaller groups called Committees which are often divided into smaller Sub-Committees focusing on different topics. The only time that the Consultative Assembly meets as a Plenary is on one day to hear the annual Speech from the Throne. Due to the difficulty of organizing and running such a large gathering, the members are known well in advance and the resolutions are discussed and prepared in working groups by state-run and non-state organizations months in advance.
Administration
The Consultative Assembly does not have its own secretariat. Instead, the Minister in the Office of the Premier for Parliamentary Affairs is responsible for organizing the logistics of the annual bi-weekly session of the Consultative Assembly. They are also responsible for sending invitations to and keeping an up to date record of eligible members. They also settle disputes regarding the proper representation for the event. Delegates of the Consultative Assembly do not get a salary. Instead flight, accommodation and food expenses for the duration of the session are paid for by the government. Furthermore, the upkeep of the Palace of Parliament as well as resources such as ceremonial uniforms and the Parliamentary Mace in maintained by the Minister in the Office of the Premier for Parliamentary Affairs.
Composition
It typically consists of between 3,000 and 5,000 members. They are all appointed by the Sultan. In practice, the process of selecting members to this body is too complex and time consuming for the Sultan to appoint each member individually. Thus, in practice the Decree on the Composition of the Consultative Assembly sets out parameters for the appointment of delegates to the Assembly. This process is called the Great Selection of the Consultative Assembly and it is coordinate by the Division of Parliamentary Affairs in the Office of the Prime Minister.
According to the aforementioned Decree, the Consultative Assembly shall consist of the following:
- All the Justices of the Supreme Court of Packilvania and the judges of the High Courts of Packilvania
- All the of the Great Magisters and High Magisters of the Magisterium as well as 200 delegates elected by the annual Conference of Senior Magisters
- All the Governors of the Provinces of Packilvania
- All the Ministers in the Council of Ministers of Packilvania
- 10 delegates from each of the minority religions as appointed by their Recognised Religious Authority.
- All of the senior military officials of the Packilvanian Armed Forces as stipulated by Annexure C of the Decree.
- All of the senior members of the Packilvanian State Security Agency as determined by Annexure D of the Decree
- All of the Vice Chancellors of the Provincial and National Universities
- All the Mayors of the top 100 largest cities in Packilvania by population
- All the National and Provincial Commissioners of Police
- The Directors of Special Government Agencies as stipulated by Rules and Regulations issued by the Prime Minister in terms of the Decree on the Composition of the Consultative Assembly
- The Chief Executive Officers of the State Owned Entities.