TyroCity: Law Making Process Notes

Legislative Principles and Law Making Process

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

General Concept of Legislation

Use of Legislation as a state’s tool of power on people in autocracies

Use of Legislation as a State’s tool power to administer governance

Law making, Social Change Social Control

Law making for Social Change and Social Control

Utilitarianism

Law making for Social Change

Importance of Public Opinion in the Law Making Process

Instrumentalities that influence Social Behavior and Law Making Process

Instrumentalities that influence Social Behavior and Law Making Process

The law-making process

Drafting Principles

Law Making Process in Nepal

Legislative Drafting/Bill Drafting

Importance of Legal Research in Law making process

Role of Law Commission

Behavior and Accountability of Law maker

Behavior and Accountability of Law makers

Legislative Terms

Legislative Terms

Seven standards for people’s voice or public participation

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

The public should have to say decisions about the actions that affect their life.
Public participation includes the promise that a public contribution will influence the decision.
This process communicates the interests of people and meets the process of all participants.
The process seeks out and facilitates the involvement of people potentially affected by the proposed decision.
The process involves the participants in defining how they will participate, thus the process will be structure.
The public participation process provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way.
The public participation process communicates to participants how their input affected the decisions.
Public hearing is basic form of people’s participation.

Role of Law Commission

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Background:

– The Nepal Law Commission was first constituted by an executive decision in 1953.

– 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th commissions were constituted respectively. These all were temporary in nature.

– Till the 5th Law Commission, it is constituted by the executive decision.

– NLC was given permanent status only in 1984.

– In the year 2007, the commission was given statutory body under the “Nepal Law Commission Act, 2007.”

Establishment of The Nepal Law commission:

(1) The Nepal Law Commission
has hereby been established for drafting and codification of laws, amendment, unification and review of prevailing laws as well as to conduct study and research on law and justice.

Composition of the Commission:

(1) The Commission shall be constituted as follows.

(a) A person appointed by the Government of Nepal from among those who has served as already a Justice of the Supreme Court a person being qualified for the same post Chairperson.
(b) A person appointed by the Government of Nepal from among those having already discharged the duty as a
Gazetted Special Class of Nepal Judicial Service, or a person having worked as a law-practitioner in the capacity of Senior Advocate or Advocate at least for fifteen years, or a person having gained experience of teaching, research, drafting of law or in the sector of law or justice at least for fifteen years. Vice-Chairperson
(c) Three persons, in maximum, having at least one women nominated by Government of Nepal from
among the persons qualified under clause (b) above. Member
(d) Secretary, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Member
(e) Secretary (law), Office of the Prime Minister and council of ministers. Member
(f) Deputy Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General Member
(g) Secretary Member Secretary

(2) There shall be a Recommendation committee to recommend the name for the appointment and nomination of chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Members of the commission to the Government of Nepal, as follows:

(a) Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Coordinator
(b) Chairperson, House of Representatives, law, Justice
and Parliamentary Affairs Committee Member
(c) Chairperson, Nepal Bar Association Member

Honorary Member: Government of Nepal may appoint five experts, in maximum, as Honorary Member from among the outstanding experts relating to the subjects deemed necessary by the Commission

Contents to be included while drafting law

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

In modern state the enactment of legislation is primarily a function of the government. Government can not conduct policies of the state in any meaningful sense without the capacity to govern. The executive in essence constitutes source of legislation. Strictly speaking, Legislative Drafting is the drafting of measures intended to become past of statute law. However, it includes the drafting of statutory orders, rules and other institutions issued by departments of the government as well as the drafting of by law of corporations and other firms of sub-ordinate legislation.

At present scenario, introduction of bill is daunting task for an individual Member of Parliament. Serious exercise and sincerity requires for preparation of any draft bill to introduce in the house. Such Member of Parliament must be acquainted with all the pros and cons of the proposed bill, each and every provisions of the bill must be elaborately discussed in the format. Hence, from above discussion what can be summarized is that in the orchestra of law, it is legislation that plays the role of the composer. Legislation sets the music, one may regulate the pitch soften the tone, or choice his octave but can not change the melody.

Concept of Legislative Drafting

Legislative Drafting is even sometime compared or linked to a child’s game of Snakes and Ladders. Snakes and Ladders are game of chance whereas Legislative Drafting is game of skill. We started Legislative Drafting from sheer necessity. Due to the welfarishic philosophy in the governing systems of the country, the state activism led every aspect of human life. The state has to run with those need of the people, it has to carry functions to maintain peace and order, it has to protect weaker section of the society, it has to undertake trade and commerce, it has to run different system, security, health, education etc. All the functions of the state become possible only by making law that is why legislation is necessary in every aspect of human life.

We perceive legislation as source of law that part of law. The term legislation may be used in the wider and narrow sense, which though connected are different. It may connote process of legislation that is the action, which results in the birth of law, or it may signify the result itself, that the law that is born, and Legislative Drafting is moreover concerned with the first sense that with the second.

understanding of problems will help in finding the problem will help in finding the solution but what should bear in mind is drafting is attempt to solve existing problem not like a acute and precise mathematical formula, which brings 100 % result. Moreover, Legislative Drafting is not always imitating one another and there is usually nothing absolutes new in a statute if in case law, the courts look to their own past decisions for the purpose of finding out a rule.

Legislative Drafting is both science and art. It is science in so far as certain rules can be laid universal application to all kinds of measures that come up for drafting and in so far as a certain set of rules are always observed by all drafts men for the purpose of securing method in their drafts.

It is, however, mainly an art; efficiency in drafting comes not by a mere mastery of the rules, by the exercise of a faculty of the mind, which can be described as skill or natural gift. The art of draftmanship consists of a sense of use of language; together with knowledge of the technical interpretations, which are placed by law in certain form of language. The sense of the use of language is the main qualification of a draftsman just as a good artist decides by instinct, the colour to be used for particular part of a picture or a good musician spontaneously fixes up the particular notes to which a part of a song should be set. Similarly, a good draftsman senses the word or group of words to be used to carry out the intended meaning.

Why a law is drafted

When any problems come before the legislatures or before the government, and it is also noticed that, the problem can not be effectively addressed without legislative mechanism or any other mode of address will not last longer to diminish the problem then only any new law or any amendment on existing law is drafted. Sometimes there may be constitutional compulsion that there should be legislation to address particular subjects.

Content of the Drafting

The content or let’s say the nature of drafting exclusively depends upon the nature and purpose for which the bills are to be drafted. For example, the bills for establishment of industry some how or in most of its content differs with bills for regulations of industrial work. Hence, a legislative drafting differs from the very nature, for which kit is to be drafted. Legislative drafting is an extremely onerous, exacting and highly ‘skill task. It is often appreciated that it is difficult task. It is not easy to express in words exactly what is clear in the mind and even if that can be easily expressed it is not easy to do so in such a way that there can be no misunderstanding. It is not a task for amateurs and dabblers. It is highly technical discipline, the most vigorous form of writing outside of mathematics.

A candidate for legislative drafting must have facility in the use of the language of legislative instruments. Experience in legal practice is desirable, so is an interest in drafting. As a systematic mind and an orderliness in the formulation of thoughts, the ability to pay meticulous attention to detail and the ability to work with accuracy under pressure. We can’t rule out the infallibility of human foresight and indeed of language itself, yet parliament must do the best they can to reduce doubt and ambiguity and to bring difficulties to a workable minimum by an intelligent application of knowledge to bear on their drafts. Here is some of the content of the legislative drafting, which is defined briefly.

Title
- Long Title
- Short Title
Definition
Section and Sub-Section
Commencement
Constitutions of Board of Executive Committee
Qualification for Members of Executive Committee
Disqualifications for Members of Executive Committee
Term of Office of Executive Committee, Their resignation and Removal
Powers
- General Powers
- Particular Powers
Constitutional Limitations
- Fundamental Rights
- Equality
- Development
Interpretation Section
Repealing and Amending Provisions
Referential Legislative
Offences and Penalties
Introduction in the house

Title

Long Title

Generally an act has always a long title, which indicates the nature of the legislative draft. It is a device to tell the members of Parliament what the bill is about and even helps to determine the scope of bill when it is being dealt in the Parliament. The title comprises the main theme, which is the pith and substance of the bill. The long title should not be vague and imprecise. It has to a large extent taken the place of preamble and therefore should cover the main theme of legislation.

Short Title

The Short title is the convenient means of citing the act. It is the short name of the act. In the words of Lord Moulton “the short title is a statutory nickname to deviate the necessity of always referring to the act under its full and descriptive title. As the name explains should be short, should be designed with great care and concern for those, who have to use the act.

Definition

It is an attempt to state in precise terms the meaning of a word or of an expression. In legislation, it should be used only as an aid to clarify and to reduce vagueness as much as possible. It should be used when necessary and should be as simple as possible.

Section and Sub-Section

An act of Parliament is divided into Sections and Sub-Sections. A section should contain one idea and therefore one enactment. It should be self explanatory and should be self contained. It should be simple, short and lucid. There should be no ambiguity as to its meaning or be difficult to read. In case of the section turns out to be long one the section should be broken into Sub-Section, all the sub-section read together must form a coherent and consistent whole. They should deal with the same idea, the same subject matter.

Commencement

The commencement clauses in the statute usually run as follows:-

This Act shall come into force on ………………………………………………………….
This Act shall come into force on such date as the ……………………………………
The Act may be made to commence at once in which it comes into force as soon as the last formality for it passing is undergone, instead of commencement of the entire Act in the whole country on one date, it may be necessary to provide for what can be called as partial commencement. Commencement of Act may be partial in respect of parts of an Act, area, subjects, or one or more of these matters.

Constitutions for Board of Executive Committee

Constitution is a document different from an Act of Parliament. It is a body of framework of politics. It aspires all authority and strength, also limit upon their power and function. It is a law regarding their job, it covers several things like eligible members, qualification powers etc. being organic in nature its construction must be beneficial but it’s not a private contract. It is essential to remember that a constitution is a mechanism under which laws are made and not mere Act which declares what a law is to be.

Qualifications for Members of Executive Committee

Certain criteria are remarked by every Act so that it could assume that the assigned job to be done with full efficiency. The criteria or qualifications may be in example like:-

should be at least graduate
should be experience of drafting
sound mentality
knowledge of Constitutional Law
thirty years of age
excellent spoken and written Nepali and English

Disqualifications for Members of Executive Committee

Certain barriers are also pointed which disqualify to be a member of committee, for example

Lunatic
Infant
Not a Nepali Citizen
Criminal background
Educational Qualification

Term if Office of Executive Committee

It specifies the tenure of the working session of the member, which is generally 5 years. It also must mention the provision of removal and regulations with ground for doing so.

Powers

There is found often in legislation power conferred on an authorized to make regulation for the better carrying into effect the purposes and principles of an Act. Power is almost inevitable to carry out the job assigned. There are, however, different aspects of conferring power like general and special powers, which are conferred as per the demand of situations.

Constitutional Limitation

Drafting of Legislation can never outgo from the spirit of constitution. There is certain limitation, which should be considered while drafting. An enactment is void from the begging if it is inconsistence with the constitution or in contravention of the constitution. A constitution brings into sharp focus the theory of Parliamentary and people sovereignty. While drafting legislation a good draftsman always consider.

Issues of fundamental rights: – either it is absolute or relative can it be seized or not, how does it safeguard people rights. Fundamental rights are as old as mankind does legislation respect this liberal idea or not etc.

Equality is perhaps the primary human rights. Fundamental rights are useless unless there is a right to equality.

Development issues: – how it ensures people’s participation.

Interpretation Section

It is now well established that an Act have an interpretation section. Definitions are used in legislation as an aid to clarify, to achieve consistency and as method of reducing vagueness. There is merit in having the interpretation section. At the outset a reader finds a list of terms with their meanings before coming across them later in the Act. The readers mind is prepared that there are certain words, which have specific meaning for the purpose of the Act. On the other hand one does not refer to the dictionary before reading a book thus interpretation is must in process of drafting legislation.

Repealing and Amending Provisions

Provisions, repealing or Amending Acts should be placed towards the end of the Act but before the commencement provision. It is a principle that a parliament can not fatter the hands of subsequent parliament, an Act passed in one session can be repealed by an Act passed in another session.

Referential Legislation

The corporation of the provision of the one Act into other is known as referential legislation, which can be useful or even necessary for example country law when gives signature to the International Conventions.

Introductions of Legislation

Introduction of legislation or bills in the house is the final task of the drafting. After introducing if the bill is not able to get majority the house it shall be again repealed or amended.

Conclusion

Legislative Drafting follows that good lawyer is not necessarily a good draftsman. Knowledge of law is intelligence, memory and judgment while drafting is skill and art. The good draftsman brings to bear upon his work the retentive and analytical faculty of his mind. It is not is should not ever be the matter of debate either legislative drafting is science or an art rather legislative drafting is always made for public good. The process of legislation is thus also a foundation for process of social change. This process of legislation involves changing the existing law where the existing law as perceived by government to longer serves a useful purpose. Thus, as far as the science pf government is concerned the important part of legislation is not only the regulatory aspect but the law making process itself that is the creative and dynamic aspect of government.

Hence, it is clear that legislative drafting is a very challenging job and directly concerned with the public life. It is worthwhile to have some knowledge on legislative drafting. Since the programme of Parliament depends upon legislative programme by government drafting has crucial role to play and promote individual’s rights.

Drafting Steps and Principles

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

There are 4 steps of Legislative Drafting. They are as follows:

1)Role of Interest group

The research is to be carried out by some group of people. This group of people is termed as interest groups. The interest groups may be (a) Concerned Political parties (b) Concerned Stakeholder (c) Concerned Experts (d) Concerned Local or effected community (e) Civil society.

Outcome of research are to be discussed to Interest groups. Interest groups have to have some constructive feedback and complements on it. They have to play major role for lobbing those research outcome to formulate it as a policy first and secondly for legislation. At first these are to be developed in the form of policies to cross check its pros and cons in society. After having positive response in society than they should be given Legal form (Legislation).

2)Identification of legislative problem: –

To formulate the policy, research is to be carried out to the concern stakeholder and take feedback from then. What kind of effect it may produce? Is it necessary or not? Whether the problem is there or not? Whether the problem can be solved or not? Is it necessary to be in legal form or not?

After answering these above questions legislative will be capable enough to find the research problem for legislative body. Research Problem here means to find out the social wants/ social interest.

For Ex: Is the lack of practical education cause for the poverty or unemployment in Nepal? Now legislative has the subject matter (research problem), which is to be address by law making (Legislation).

3)Framing of legislative policy: –

Among all the diverse issues raised by the interest groups, the legislative has to figure out which of the policy is essential to establish welfare-state. These kinds of policy are the legislative policy which is to be taken into parliament to enact it as legislation.

4)Identification of policy alternative: –

If that policies fails than the possible alternative should be formulated.

Policy

Definition

To address changing need of aspiration of people…For people’s welfare.
According with national interest.

Source of law

It is the source of law.
During Government rule, nation or state need different kinds of rule to govern the people at this they use policy as a tools.

Basis or group

Geographical, political, historical, economical, social, cultural, people level of awareness (civic sense)

Types of Policy

Nation/State policy: -Not easily changeable. Example: -Nepal commitment and foreign policy.
Government policy: -During the governance of state. It is comparatively changeable.
Political party policy: -Political party policy should be acknowledged and rectify by the government.

Effects of policy

i)They are the guideline for the government :-acts as directive to government.
ii) Source of law should turn into legal form: -Individual, social interest into law.
iii)Not necessary to be turn into legal for: -Foreign policy, Agricultural policy, foreign aid policy.

Law making for Social Change and Social Control

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Background

Savigny: “Law is found but not made.”

Particular society themselves develop legal system by sense of common consciousness (Volkgeist).

HLA Heart:

He made a bridge between primitive society and modern society.

In primitive society there were some rules and principle to govern the society but there are de-facto rules.

Therefore, secondary rules for him made effective to those primary rules by (i) recognition (ii) change (iii) adjudication

Roscoe Pound

The purpose of law is to achieve ultimate goal of society, this ultimate goal can be achieve by balance of conflicting interest.

Individual interest: Fundamental rights
Public interest: -Right claim by a state to be a real state.
Social Interest: -Directive principles

So, all the source of law making is society. It is the institution felt by law makers for the society.

While making law, social order is to be considered, if not done then law can be oppose by the society: –

samajik byabahar sudhar ain

Law making for the Social change and Social Control

Law makers should make law addressing need of society not interest of elite group.

Changes through a law mean void changes. This can be as follows:

Changes in attitude, psychology, behavior and power structure (law against untouchability).
Changes brought by the present court.
Through this constitution, you can claim the right against state.
Like equality, sovereign power is people.
Pursuing equality in the land of Hierarchy, (Attitude in feudalistic pattern change into socialist)
Jurisprudential foundation of reservation.
Empowerment of woman.
Social Action and Public Interest Litigation.
Secularism
Sometime if alternative are not given and absolutely imposed.

There may be high probability of disobedience. So, alternative is to be provided to enjoy law.

Social reform Act, Consumer protection Act failed due to disobedience of society.

Cyber Law came into existence with the felt of need of it by law makers and cope up with the change in technology and human knowledge.

Other laws enacted and amended due to WTO regime, Human Right regime.

If the law is against international legal order then it will be condemned internationally.

Things that are to be considered by law makers I law making for social change are: –

First thing is that, the law should be made according to societal interest.
Purpose of law is to make people empower (capable).

For this we can make affirmative discrimination.

Law should not exceed legal principle and international norms of standard.
Law should be according to the social psychology and social fact.

Cyber law wasn’t debated but Communication ordinances was debated because it has taken dignity of media and media personal.

If any misconfusion occurs between law makers and society then either society or law can’t function.

From the historical period to modern society like Mundhum, Manab Nayab, Sartha, Muluki Ain, Constitution has brought number of changes in society.

Sati abolition, Child marriage, Birta Unmulan, etc.

Because of the advancement of democracy, science and technology. (Climate change)

Law makers are to be update through research to meet the societal interest as a whole

Autocracy Vs. Democracy

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Democracy is a form of government in which the people either directly or indirectly, take part in governing. However, the term is also used as a measurement of how much influence a people has over their government, as in how much democracy exists. A modern democracy implies certain rights for citizens:

Right to elect government through free and fair elections
Freedom of Speech
The rule of Law
Human Rights
Freedom of Assembly
Freedom from discrimination

Is Democracy the Best System?

There is much debate on the ability of a democracy to properly represent both the ‘will of the people’, and to do what is right, but to quote Winston Churchill;

“Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried”.

This is because there is no system that can ideally order society. Traditionally, the purpose of the democracy is to prevent tyranny (the accumulation of too much authority in the hands of one or few. Thus, if the democracy cannot give us a good government, it puts limits to the abuse of power.

What is Autocracy?

In simple tone, an autocracy is a system where the ruler rules the people with too much accumulation of the power, or there is no kind of limits on abuse of power. Autocracy signify lacking of people’s representation or participation in the governance process.

Despotism: Autocracy might be imposed by a single person or a group. When a singular authority –either a single person or tightly knit group-which rules with absolute power is know as “despotism”. Despotism implies tyrannical rule; it suggest a form of government which exercises exacting and near absolute control over all its citizens.

Totalitarianism: Totalitarianism is any poetical system in which a citizen is totally subjected to state authority in all aspects of day-to-day life. It goes well beyond dictatorship of typical police state measures, and even beyond those measures sustain total war with other state. It involves constant brainwashing achieved by propaganda to erase any political for dissent, by anyone, including most especially the state’s agents.

Dictatorship: Dictatorship is a government headed by a dictator or more generally any authoritarian or totalitarian government. It is often equivalent to a police state, but the term dictator refers to the way the leaders gain and hold power, but not the watch kept on the people.

Police State: A political condition where the government maintains strict control over society, particularly through suspension of rights and often with use of a force of secret police.

Authoritarianism: The term authoritarianism is used to describe an organization or a state which enforces strong and sometimes oppressive measures against population. This is distinguished from totalitarianism both by the degree and scope, authoritarian government being less intrusive and in organization not necessarily backed by the force.

Autocracy in general implies an ideology or concept of regime ‘which tends to or rule by accumulation of power without being accountable to people’. People are subjected to the authority of the state. This sate of condition implies that:

People have not freedom electing government.
People exercise no freedoms
Government interferes in all aspects of life of the people.
Police measures are used to contain the people.

Legislation is Used to Rule People

Law is effectively used to:

Remove the limits of power, and prevent abuse of power. Legislation in such regime is used to empower the rulers to accumulate powers or authority.
Restrict the people to dissent. People rights to freedom of speech and assembly is restricted or marginalized.

Features of Legislation in Autocracy

Prescriptive: Legislation prescribes the duties for people to support the ruler without any question.

Regulatory: Legislation is regulatory, so that behaviors of all people are strictly regulated, deviation being punishable.

Punitive: Legislation is punitive for violation of the prescription or regulation.

Centralization of power: Governance power is centralized. The devolution of the power is effectively negated. Centralization of power weakens the authority of the Parliament, the law making body.

Legislation is abstract and ambiguous or maintains possibility double standard.
Legislation empowers executive for rule making through regulation or ordinance or bye-laws.
Legislation provides absolute power for interpretation of the statute.

Limitations of Law in Creating Social Change

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

To most people law is imposed externally in an almost coercive way. Today people are characterized by a “crisis of confidence” and alienation from social institutions because of uncontrollable economic conditions. Therefore, law is hardly an expression of their will. Few people participate in the formulation of laws and legislation. One of limitations of law as an instrument of social change is the possibility of prevailing conflict of interest. Other limitations related to the efficacy of law in social change include divergent views on law and the prevailing morality and values. The scarcity of resources causes conflicting interests. Decades ago, Karl Marx and Max Weber said that many laws are created to protect special economic interests. This is because economic interests are strong factors influencing the creation of laws. Weber recognized that besides economic interests law protects other interests too such as personal security, personal honor, and it guarantees political, ecclesiastical, and other positions of authority and social preeminence. Weber emphasizes two points:

Conflict of interests provide the base for the formation of laws that bring change; so the stratification of society and the preferences of those who promulgate the changes determine the role of laws in social change.
Law as an instrument of social change can be seen as the organization of power and processes that protect special interests in society and result in social change.

For powerful and influential people “the law in effect structures the power relationships in a society, maintains the //status quo//and protects various //strata//against each other”. Many legislative enactments, administrative rulings, and judicial decisions reflect the power configurations in society. Even members of legal professions serve to unify the power elite by serving as “professional go-betweens” for principal political, corporate and other interest groups.
Interestingly, a lot of people who are coerced or oppressed by the laws imposed by a ruling minority are unaware of their oppression. They may even strongly support the existing legal system because the ruling party has used its power to confuse them as if they are protecting their true interests. However, a distinction should be made between what people claim as their interests and what their “true” interests are. There are many examples when people are organized to protect what they conceive as their interests. Blacks have been instrumental in the passage of many civil rights laws. Farmers have affected laws dealing with migrant workers, farm subsidies, importation of food items, etc. so it is the division of society into the “powerful” and “powerless” that simple? The mechanisms of change through law include large segments of the population. Even in democratic countries, the large-scale participation of citizens in social change is not feasible; however, the lack of participation doesn’t mean lack of representation.

Conceptual Framework in Democratic Governance

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

Democratic “governance”; political organization comprising the individuals and institution
(i) authorized to formulate public policies
(ii) conduct affairs of state.

Government is empowered to establish and regulate the inter-relationships of the people.

The peculiar and essential qualities of the government are:

First, it is representative.
Second, recognizes the liberty of individual citizens.
Third, separation of power accompanying with the check and balance mechanism.
Fourth, implementation (enforcement) of law.

Executive, Legislative and Judiciary are the most essential ingredients of government. They do have own governance system. Whereas, legislative: formulate the laws according to the requirement of society, assimilating current phenomena into law.

Executive: enforcement of law generally. But usually executive branch is fully devoted to administer the country’s law. Executive head or executive power may differ from country to country.

In regard to, judiciary: which check on rationality, objectives of law with interpretation? Protect the constitutional norms and values (Judicial review or judicial activism help to protect liberty and establish remedy).

Nepalese governing system has been adopting up to down approach in authority and delegation of power. Bottom to up approach in responsibility and accountability. Our governance should not be like “army fighting in war without arm and weapon”. Law should be used as a weapon to good governance.

Indeed, Nepalese do expect of good governance; (comparatively good than the present)

Many challenges have been appearing a hurdle to govern the state. Like as follows:

Problem of peace and security
Address issues of excluded groups:
Poverty
Political instability

Despite of these challenges, gain occurred in governance by considerer-able progress with

(a) Tax policy
(b) administrative reform
(c) combat corruption
(d) independence of judiciary
(e) advancement and development of communication system

Law Making Steps

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

With respect to legislative bills introduced by the Cabinet(“Cabinet-introduced bills”), the following chart illustrates the process in which they are drafted, approved, and promulgated.

(Note: For the sake of simplicity, the chart assumes that the cabinet-introduced bill is approved by the Diet without any amendment.)

Outline of the chain of events from the drafting of a legislative bill to be introduced by the Cabinet, to its approval and promulgation.

(1) Drafting of a legislative bill

A legislative bill that is to be introduced by the Cabinet is drafted by the ministry having the jurisdiction. A ministry draws up the first draft of a legislative bill, once it decides either to enact a new law or to amend or abolish an existing law in order to achieve a policy goal set in the performance of its administrative duties.
On the basis of this first draft, consultations take place with other ministries concerned and the political party(ies) in government. In addition, where necessary, procedures are followed for its referral to advisory councils or to public hearings. Once all of the above has been completed and the legislative bill is considered ready, the ministry in charge puts the draft into a proper statutory form. The final draft of the legislative bill has now been prepared.

(2) Examination by the Cabinet Legislation Bureau

All legislative bills that are to be introduced by the Cabinet are examined by the Cabinet Legislation Bureau before being brought before Cabinet meetings. In principle the examination of a bill by the Bureau should begin only after the request addressed to the Prime Minister for a Cabinet meeting relating to the bill is sent by the ministry in charge. In recent practice, however, a way has developed whereby the Bureau conducts a “preliminary examination” of the bill for which the necessary consultation has been completed. The request for a Cabinet meeting therefore is sent on the basis of the bill for which the Bureau’s preliminary examination is completed.
During the examination by the Bureau, the bill is examined from all angles, legally and technically. The points examined include the following. :
- The relationship between the proposed bill on one hand and the Constitution and other existing laws on the other, as well as the legal appropriateness of the contents of the bill;
- Whether or not the intentions of the proposed bill are accurately expressed in the text;
- Whether or not the structure of the bill (e.g. the order of articles.) is appropriate;
- Whether the usage of letters or words is correct.
Once the preliminary examination is completed, the state minister in charge of the legislative bill follows the procedure for sending to the Prime Minister the request for a Cabinet meeting regarding the submission of the bill to the Diet. The Cabinet Secretariat, which receives the request, sends it on to the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, which then conducts a final examination, considering the results of the preliminary examination already conducted, makes any revisions as necessary, and returns the result back to the Cabinet Secretary.

(3) Cabinet decision to submit the bill to the Diet

As to the legislative bill for which a Cabinet meeting has been requested, the Director-General of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau gives its outline explanation at the Cabinet meeting, and if the Cabinet decides in favor without objection, the Prime Minister submits the bill to the Diet (either to the House of Representatives or to the House of Councilors). The administrative work related to the submission to the Diet of a bill intoroduced by the Cabinet is conducted by the Cabinet Secretariat.

(4) Examination by the Diet

When a legislative bill is submitted to either the House of Representatives or the House of Councilors, the leader of the House (the Speaker in the case of the House of Representatives, the President in the case of the House of Councilors), in principle, refers the bill to an appropriate committee. The committee then conducts an examination, starting with an explanation by the state minister in charge regarding the reason for proposing the bill. The examination itself largely follows a question-and-answer format (with the committee asking questions about the bill, and the state minister answering). When the committee completes its questioning and deliberation, its chair person declares, and a vote is taken on, the issue of whether or not to approve the bill. When the committee finishes its examination, deliberation continues at a plenary session of the House concerned.
When the legislative bill passes both the committee and the plenary of the House to which it was first submitted, it is sent on to the other House (i.e. it is sent from the House of Representatives to the House of Councilors or vice versa). The same procedure involving deliberation and decisions both by a committee and a plenary is then followed by the second House.

(5) Enactment of a new law

Except otherwise provided by the Constitution, a legislative bill becomes a law when it passes both the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors. The leader of the House that examined the bill second (the Speaker in the case of the House of Representatives, the President in the case of the House of Councilors) then submits the new law to the Emperor via the Cabinet (the Emperor’s approval is a formality).

(6) Promulgation of the new law

The newly enacted law must be promulgated within 30 days from the date on which the leader of the House that examined the bill second submits it to the Emperor via the Cabinet. As to the promulgation, it is done after a Cabinet decision to do so, and by publication in an official gazette . (An outline of the law is also published in the gazette to serve the general public’s understanding of the law. )
Promulgation is to ensure that a newly enacted law becomes widely known by the public. In other words, it is an act whereby the people is enabled to know the law. A law must be promulgated before it actually takes effect.
A law is said to “come into effect” or “come into force” when it generally and actually takes effect and starts to apply. Laws usually stipulate in their attached clauses when they come into effect.
When a law is promulgated, it is given a serial number and signed by both the state minister responsible for the law and the Prime Minister.

Behavior and Accountability of Law makers

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

A Legislator:

Person who writes and passes the law.
Usually politician, often elected by people
Different names are provided to it like Parliament, Diet, Legislative Assembly, Congress.

When there is room for interpretation, the intents of the Legislator will be questioned, and the court is supposed to rule in the direction, that it judges to fit the legislative intent the best, -which can be uneasy, in the case of conflicting laws or constitutional provisions.

Formulating new legislation is not an easy task. In fact, it requires comprehensive study done by legislators, regarding various issues.

There is question, whether the criteria education requirement and training is required for legislators or not?

Constraints

Legislator should be confine between some constraints while formulating law or fulfilling their role and responsibility.

(a)Constitutional Constraints:
Some constraints are mentioned in constitution like no death penalty, no exile to anyone, no prohibition to political parties, etc.

(b)Legal and Natural Principles Constraints:

Like: – rule of law, natural justice, fair trial right to hearing, appeal, Judicial review

(c)Self-restrained limitation:

Like: – Law should be reasonable, rational, judicious, good conscience.

Authority

(a)Legislature with absolutely define authority:

– Legislature has authority to formulate law on fixed and defined subject.

– Not other than that.

– American Congress can only formulate law in monetary, finance, public welfare and altogether 18 issues.

(b)Legislature with absolutely non-defined authority:

– Like: -British Parliament, New Zealand Parliament and Italian Parliament.

– There is non-defined authority to make legislation on any issues.

(c)Legislature with relatively defined authority:

– India and Germany parliament.

– Indian federal parliament has some authority to make law.

Legislator must keep in mind

Draft or passing of any law should be contextual.
Knowledge about other related prevailing laws.
Precedent.
Use of simple word.

Weapons for Legislator for law drafting and pairing

(a)Constitution

(b)Policies

(c)Law on Interpretation

(d)Precedent

(e)Foreign Laws

(f)Legal dictionary

(g)Convention, treaties

(h)Prevailing Acts

(i)Articles of Jurist and experts.

Background of Legislative Principles and Law Making Process

Law Making Process Notes — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 05:41:42 +0000

“As force is always on the side of the governed, the governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is, therefore, on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as to the most free and most popular. The Soldan of Egypt, or the Emperor of Rome, might drive his harmless subjects, like brute beasts, against their sentiments and inclination; but he must, at least, have led his mamelukes, or praetorian bands, like men, by their opinion.” David Hume (force and opinion to keep a regime in power)

“Opinion rules everything.” Napoleon

Law here refers to legislation. Positive law.

Also See, M_eera Kumari Dhungana and others v. Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs et. al._ NKP 2052, p.462.

In this case, after holding-albeit indirectly-that the then existing provision in the Chapter on Partition of the National Code was discriminatory and unconstitutional, the Supreme Court held that the law was a part of a long held tradition of the Nepalese people and formed a core of the society. Hence, instead of directly changing the law, the society and the people should extensively discuss the issue on the basis of principles of equality and only then the Government should introduce a bill to the house within one year.

Law making process is the process of codification or transformation of principles and ideas into rules or legislation.

In democracy, one of the essences of law making process is the formal, transparent, participatory Law Making process. In addition, public should own the law to ensure effective implementation of the law.

In this context, public opinion ensures transparency, participation in the law making process and allows the public to get a sense of ownership of the law.

Public Opinion not only affects law making process by determining how the legislature votes but also by influencing every process in the way whereby sometimes even killing the legislation. That is, public opinion should not be seen only as a procedure followed during the law making process, rather it may become decisive in determining the necessity of the law, at the first place.

How Public Opinion influences, first, public opinion represents electorate’s aspiration so fear of retaliation in election. Second, moral pressure on the legislatures, doctrine of mandate.

Relevant provisions in the law

The Constituent Assembly (Conduct of Business of Legislature-Parliament) Rules, 2070 (2013)

The probability to create a legislative law increases when (1) powerful interest groups mobilize their members to seek legislative action; (2) the unorganized public becomes intensely concerned with an issue; and (3) there is no pressure to maintain the status quo or opposition to the proposed legislation.

The present public opinion on Truth and Reconciliation Act and even the Constitution.

V. Dicey, Lectures on the Relation between Law and Public Opinion in England during the Nineteenth Century, edited and with an Introduction by Richard VandeWetering (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2008).

“When we talk of legislative public opinion we should not forget that such opinion may bear a merely negative character, and operate not by making laws but by forbidding their enactment.”

Few points on Public Opinion in England.

First, There exists at any given time a body of beliefs, convictions, sentiments, accepted principles, or firmly-rooted prejudices, which, taken together, make up the public opinion of a particular era…

Such belief (right or wrong) are strongly and confidently held by the community.

Such belief maybe countered by opposite belief over time.

Secondly, the opinion which affects the development of the law has, in modern England at least, often originated with some single thinker or school of thinkers.
It is impossible, indeed, to insist too strongly upon the consideration that whilst opinion controls legislation, public opinion is itself far less the result of reasoning or of argument than of the circumstances in which men are placed.
Thirdly, the development of public opinion generally, and therefore of legislative opinion, has been in England at once gradual, or slow, and continuous.
Fourthly, the reigning legislative opinion of the day has never, at any rate during the nineteenth century, exerted absolute or despotic authority. Its power has always been diminished by the existence of counter-currents or cross-currents of opinion18 which were not in harmony with the prevalent opinion of the time.
Fifthly, Laws foster or create law-making opinion.

This assertion may sound, to one who has learned that laws are the outcome of public opinion, like a paradox; when properly understood it is nothing but an undeniable though sometimes neglected truth.

Something I found in the internet, worth noting. Will be helpful in exams, I guess.

Public opinion is not the unanimous opinion but there is a general agreement on the issue.
It may change with the circumstances, time and new information.
Public opinion is not always related to political matters. It may even be formulated on economic, social and cultural matters.
Public opinion is logical and considered view of a section of society.
Public opinion is subject to process of modifications, consolidation and clarification until it takes a definite shape.
Public opinion necessarily reflects diversity of opinion.
There is no fixed territory or area for public opinion.
Public opinion ensures democratic communication.