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It is
exemplary constitution of parliamentary system of government. We had
English law system. They gave us a system. British constitution is a mother of
all modern constitutions. Constitution does mean structure, and composition.
State is artificial person. State does mean society, which is politically
organized. Political organization of state is government. People create
Nations. Sovereign is the ultimate authority of state. State has four integral
parts, i.e., people, territory, government, and sovereign. Government does
mean group of people who run the affairs of society or government.
Government is composed of three institutions, i.e., Executive, legislature, and
judiciary. Courts decide according to law. All the parts of government have
some links with each other.
Executive settles the disputes and makes the rules. Distribution of the power
is maintained among the federation and units and separation of the powers
between institutions.
England is
a
single
country
while Great
Britain is
combination
of England, Wales, and Scotland and United Kingdom is collections of Great
Britain and other Iceland. British Constitution means Constitution of Great
Britain.
Salient Features of the British Constitution:
1. Unwritten: Although the British constitution is not compiled in a book
like USA and other constitutions, but it is partially written in the form of
Bill of Rights, Act of Settlement, Act of Parliament etc.
2. Evolutionary: It is not rigid but gone through from the changes of all the
times. USA Constitution has a date and place when it was ratified
contained particular contents but on the other hand British Constitution
has not these qualities.
3. Supremacy of Parliament: Because there is no written constitution so
there is no limit on framing the laws. There is no limit on parliament to
enact laws. No difference between constitutional law and ordinary law.
Simple majority passes both types of laws. There is neither superior law
nor inferior or subordinate law. Parliament can repeal every sort of law or
Act. Present parliament is supreme parliament. She is not subject of any
Law, Act, principle. Parliament is not absolutely supreme. She can repeal
the Indian Independence Act, 1947, but there are many moral,
international law and other restrictions to do this practice.
4. Rule of Law: It means that society will be run according to the rules and
regulations. Every citizen can do everything, which is not prohibited by the
law but parliament has to follow law. Parliament can do everything, which
is allowed by the law. Both statements have same meaning. Law is formed
to govern the people and not the sovereign.
contains the rights of the people in a democratic set up, and Crown
Proceeding Act 1947 a person can sue the government
b. Case Laws means judge made laws: It contains to Common Law
and Interpretation of Statue Law. Common Law also has two kinds, i.e.,
Local Customs and Common Customs. Local customs are those that
vary place to place like law of inheritance, marriage etc., andCommon
Customs are those, which are similar all over the country like Finance
Act, Tariff Act, Traffic Rules etc. As far as interpretation of statute
law is concerned they give some meaning, or explanations to the
statutes.
c.
Customary Law: Customs that are not made part of law. It forms
basic structure of British constitution. British constitution does not vest
power to the organs of the government but there are certain customs
that determine the powers of the organs of the government. King is
ruler, courts decide the cases, working of parliament, parliament itself
is a Court, basic institutions and the parliamentary proceedings,
supremacy of the parliament, both houses of the parliament are
master of their business are similar kinds of the customs. These
customs are not written elsewhere but it fact that all the business of
the British society is being carried on by the customs.
Customs are immemorial of nature and have force of law. Customs are
enforced as law. These are not found in books.
With the passage of time, natural law gave national law. Internal nature was
same while external nature was different. Every state in modern time has
right to have her-own law. Natural law made national law. Natural law comes
to focus of national law. Now people respect the parliament because it is
decide the cases at liberty. This is the basic difference between the
democracy and dictatorship. Government has to take actions as per
pre-decided rules. Government becomes ineffective if the proper
remedy is not provided against the wrongs. This cannot be achieved
until or unless force is not applied. Independent judiciary is necessary.
iii) There are three certain universal standards relating to the relationship
of state and people:
i)
ii) No torture is applied for confession and impartial trials are carried
on.
iii) Burden of proof lies on state, being victim in criminal cases.
Hearsay evidence is not allowed.
We insist on quality of law. Our process of law means rule of good and fair
laws. Rule of Law has universal standards. It has been developing in local
context. It was first natural law, and then it was converted into common law,
later Acts of Parliament, and now due process of law.
European courts deal the cases as per European conventions. In Delhi
Declaration, in 1959, the study of Rule of Law was conducted and suggested
two principles:
i)
ii) There must be adequate control over the government. Article 5 of the
Pakistan Constitution provides Rule of Law.
Conventions of the UK Constitution: UK Constitution is unwritten and this
part is called conventions. Constitution is not totally unwritten but partially. It
is written in the books, statues, Acts of parliament, Court decisions etc. But it
is fact that important part of it is unwritten and is based on conventions. It
plays very important role in constitution.
Definition: Conventions are the unwritten rules of constitution, practices
that regulate discretionary powers of state authorities at highest level.
King had executive, judiciary, and legislature powers but later they were
separated among the other organs. Now parliament is the organ responsible
for law making and most powerful particularly after the revolution of 1688.
Executive is under control of Queen so far. Foreign affairs, nominations and
welcome of high commissions, welfare, nomination of religious leader or head
of the church, social set up etc. are the powers of King or Queen.
Parliament has right of law making, tax, and sanctioning of army. King desires
to rule of parliament. Queen appoints ministers, senior member of the house
of common as Prime Minister. Power has been transferred from King to
Parliament. Power speaks itself. Now UK has political parties. People know
their manifestoes. Parties are effective rather than individual. People exercise
their rights in elections.
Examples of important conventions:
1. Prime Minister: Who will be the Prime Minister? People know very well
during the elections that who will be. What will be the position of the
Prime Minister? How other ministers will be elected? The Queen offers
leader of the majority party as Prime Minister. He is nominated from House
of Commons. He knows the time of election.
2. Sovereign: King or Queen or Monarch acts on advice of Prime Minister.
He or She cannot do anything at own. Advice of Prime Minister, Cabinet,
Minister, or Privy Council is given to crown. All administrative matters are
dealt on the advice of Prime Minister or Cabinet.
3. Government of Prime Minister: All acts are done on the advice of
Prime Minister.
4. Ministers are members of the parliament: Queen nominates them on
the advice of Prime Minister.
5. Ministers Act Collectively: Decision of cabinet is acceptable to all. If
anyone disagree, he must resign and then criticize. No one can disagree.
6. Cabinet (Prime Minister and Ministers): They are responsible
regarding all the acts in parliament. Mistake of one is mistake of all.
7. Parliaments removal: Parliament can be dissolved upon vote of no
confidence. There are two way outs, either government resign or
dissolution and holding of fresh election.
8. Annual Meeting: Parliament should meet at least once in a year
otherwise no finance bill will be passed and no tax will be levied.
9. Dissolution of Parliament: Parliament may be dissolved on the advice
of Prime Minister and fresh election may be held. Prime Minister remains
Prime Minister until successor is elected.
Role or ives or Functions or Purposes of Conventions:
1. Check and Balance in the System: Crown and Prime Minister are
governed by the conventions. All the powers are vested to Crown who is
obliged to follow the advise of Prime Minister. Prime Minister is the leader
of majority party in House of Commons. He always takes into
consideration the wishes of party members. Party members, too, take into
consideration the wishes of public. If opposition party or people want to
Cabinet
Parliament has central position and has positive role in Britain. It performs
legislative function such as law making. It provides monarchy, Prime Minister,
Cabinet, Ambassadors. It also performs judicial functions. Court of Appeal is
in between High Court and House of Lords. Earlier, king was powerful and all
the powers were vested to king. British parliament is bicameral. It has two
chambers containing House of Commons and House of Lords. British
government system is unitary. One government exercises all powers. Local
government is run under the law of central government. There is no
federation in United Kingdom. House of Common is elected while House of
Lords are non-elective but nominated body.
House of Lords is upper house and non-elected. Its composition was simple.
All inheritor members are either appointed by king or acquiring membership
by inheritance. Now other members are included. Today it is quite diverse.
Hereditary members are 850 or 860. Spiritual Lords have fix nominations of
26. They belong to church. Life Lords are in between of 230 to 240. They are
product of Life Peers Act, 1958. They do not inherit their membership. They
are the persons who do not want to come to parliament or they cannot come
through democratic process. They are eminent and beneficial for government
and society. Law Lords are also fix to 11.
Reforms: This is non-democratic house. It is just consultative house.
According to Parliament Act, 1911, it cannot reject any bill passed by House
of Commons. It can just delay bill for two years if it is ordinary bill and finance
bill can be delayed for two months. Parliament Act, 1945, has also reduced
this duration of delay from two years to one year and two months to one
month. This house has no right of vote. Purpose to delay the bills is to think
about it in calm environment. It is discussed at all in the best interest of
public.
Although it has no powers, but it performs some important functions:
1. It is a chamber of parliament passed by House of Commons.
2. Correction: It provides chances to cool down emotions and political
sentiments.
3. Simple delay: It cannot revise the bill but simply delays the bill
maximum for one year or one month. It is also called delaying house.
4. Introduction of non-contravention public bills which include common
benefit of public. Bill that is contrary to public interest or opinion will never
see the light of the day. It will be killed.
5. Private bills can be originated in House of Lords by private members.
6. House of Lords is forum where free and full discussions take place on
political, social, economic, and international issues.
Lower House is highly political and short debating house.
Crown and its prerogatives: There are two classes of crown prerogatives,
i.e., personal and political prerogatives.
Personal prerogatives:
1. King can do no wrong:
2. King never dies:
3. King never infant: However he is one day old or born soon after the
death of king, he has right to be king. If he is minor, how he runs the
matters of government? There is law under which a tutor is appointed who
acts on the behalf of that young boy. Despite a tutor or committee he runs
the matters of government, even actually he is not the king.
4. Acts of parliament are not applicable to him unless specifically
mentioned in law.
Political prerogatives of British Crown:
1. Dissolution of parliament:
2. Appointment of Prime Minister and Ministers:
3. Appointment of Civil and Military Officials:
4. Appointment of ambassadors:
5. Signing treaties:
6. Declaration of war and peace:
7. Acquisition of property:
8. Maintaining of law and order:
9. Signing bills:
10. Hereditary and life lords:
11. Summoning the parliament:
12. Appointment of judges:
13. Appeals from overseas:
14. Head of the army:
15. Head of the clergy (church):
King does not exercise these powers himself individually. He requires the
advice of Prime Minister.
Prime Minister. Prime Minister conveys all the discussions to king. He can
individually convey his opinion to king. He did not bring many matters in
the cabinet. What is to be discussed and when, it is upto his sole
discretion. He has many discretionary powers. Every Tuesday Prime
Minister and King or Queen meets privately.
Parliamentary Procedure:
General principles of procedure: Both houses are masters of their own
business.
Courts do not interfere in the working of parliament. Money bill is originated
only in House of Common.
General Rules:
Types of Bills: Bill is the proposal to legislate the law.
1. Public Bills: Related to general system of society, like law of
amendment, criminal system, change in law, education, change in
taxation etc.
2. Private Bills: Deal with particular issue
Indemnity, Railway, Airline, Corporation etc.
or
individual
like