Legislative Process (legal Policy)

Legislative process (Legal Policy)

Before any law is passed, it is first introduced in parliament as a draft known as a bill.

Bills are usually introduced by a minister on behalf of the cabinet, known as Government Bill.

However, any member of parliament can introduce a bill, known as a Private Member's Bill.

All bills must go through three readings in parliament and receive the president's assent to become an Act of Parliament.

Each bill goes through several stages before it becomes a law. The first stage is a mere formality known as the first reading,

where it is introduced without a debate. This is followed by the second reading, where members of

parliament debate on the general principles of the bill.If parliament opposes the bill, it may vote to reject the bill.

If the bill goes through the second reading, the bill is sent to a Select Committee where every clause in the bill is examined.

Members of parliament who support the bill in principle but do not agree with certain clauses

can propose amendments to those clauses at this stage. Following its report back to parliament,

the bill will go through its third reading where only minor amendments will be allowed before it is passed.

Most bills passed by parliament are scrutinised by the Presidential Council for Minority Rights which

makes a report to the Speaker of Parliament stating whether there are clauses in a bill which affects any racial or religious community [19]

If approved by the council, the bill will be presented for the president's assent.

The last stage involves the granting of assent by the president, before the bill officially becomes a law.