L-Ordni tal-1964 dwar l-Indipendenza ta' Malta (scheduletotheorder)
Inhaltsübersicht (122)
Gesetzestext (122 Artikel)
Supplement to the Malta Government Ga:etle N o. 11,688, l8th September, 1964
MALTA
The Malta Independence Order 1964
Made
2nd September 1964
At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 2nd day of September
Presen t,
The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty in Council
Her Majesty, in exercise of the power conferred upon Her by
section 1(1) of the Mal ta Independence Act 1964(a)and of all other
powers enabling Her in that behalf, is pleased, by and with the
advice of Her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as
follows:-
This Order may be cited as the Malta Independence Citation I nd
1.- (1 )
Order 1964.
In sections 1 to 15 (inclusive) of this Order -
(2)
" the appointed day" means the day appointed by section 2
of this Order;
··the Constitution" means the constitution set out in the
Schedule to this Order.
(3) Save where the context otherwise requires, the provi-
sions of section 126 of the Constitution shall apply for the purposes
of interpreting sections I to 15 (inclusive) of this Order, and other-
wise in relation thereto, as they apply for the purposes of interpret-
ing, and in relation to, the Constitution_
CONSTITUTION OF MALTA
AI'l'angement of Sections
CHAPTER I
THE STATE
Section
1. Territories.
2. Religion.
3. National Flag.
4. National Anthem.
S. Language.
6. Constitution to be suprem e law.
QuPTER 11
DECLARATION OF PRINC IPLES
7. Right to work.
8. Promotion of culture, etc.
9. Safeguarding of landscape and historical and artistic patri.
mony.
10. Religious teaching in State schools.
11. Compulsory and free primary education.
12. Ed ucationl interest.
13. P rotection of wo rk.
14. Hour.; of work:.
R i~hts of women workers.
15.
The appoin ted day fo r t he purposes of section HI ) of the
Malta Independence Act 1964 shall be 21st September 19M,
Amended by;
Act XLI of 1965
Act XXXVI I of 1956
Act IX of 196?
Act XXVI of 1970
Act XLVII of 1972
Act LVII of 1974
Act LVIII of 1974
CONST IT UT ION OF MALT A
CHAPTER I
TIlE STATE
Tenitorles
1. Until othet"\\ise provided by the law thetenitoriesofMaltacon-
sist of those tenitories comprised in Malta i1mnediately before the
appointed day, including the tenitorial waters thereof.
Religion
2. (1) The Religion of Malta is the Roman Catholic Apostolic
Religion.
(2) The State guarantees to the Roman Catholic Apostolic
Church the right freely to exercise her proper spiritual and ttcle-
siastical functions and duties and to manage her own affairs.
National Flag
3. The National Flag of Malta consists of two equal vertical
stripes, white in the hoist and red in the fly. A representation of the
George Cross awarded to Malta by His Majesty King George the
Sixth on the 15th April 1942 is carried, edged with red, in the can-
ton of the white stripe.
Natiot/at Anthem
4. The National Anthe m of Malta is " l -Innu Malt i" opening
wit h the words " til din I·Art helwa I-Omm Ii tatna isimha".
LAnguage
The National language of Malta is the Maltese language.
S.--{l)
(2) T he Malt ese and the English lan guages and such ot her
language as may be prescribed by Parliament (by a law passed by not
less th an two-thirds of all the members of the House of Represent a_
t ives) shall be the official la ngu ages of Malta and the Administ rat ion
may for all official pu rposes use any of such languages
Provided that any person may address the Administ rat ion in
any of the official languages and the reply of the Administration
there to shall be in such language.
The language of the Courts s hall be the Maltese lan·
(3)
guage
Provided that Parliament may make such provision for the
use of the English language in such cases and under such conditions
as it may prescribe.
(4) T he House of Repr esentatives may, in regulatinl its
own procedure. determine the language or languages that sha I be
used in parliamentary proceedings and records.
Constitution to be supreme law
6. Subject to the provisions of sections 48(7) and (9) and 67 of
this Constitution, if any other law is inconsistent \,ith this Constitu-
tion, this Constitution shall prevail and the other law shall. to the
extent of the inconsistency, be void.
CHAPTER II
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
Right to work
an
7. T he State recognises the ri~ht of
citizens to work and
~halI promote such conditicns as will make this right effective.
Promotion of culture, etc.
8. The State shall promote the development of culture and
scientific and technical research.
Safeguarding of landscape and historical and artistic ]Xltrimony
9. The State shall safeguard the la ndscape and the historical
and artistic patrimony of the Nation.
Religious reaching in Stafe Schools
10. Religious teaching of the Roman Catholic Apostolic faith
shall be provided in all State Schools.
Compulsory and free primary education
H. Primary education shall be compulsory and in State schools
shall be free of charge.
Educational interests
12.-(1) Capable and deserving students, even if without finan-
cial resources, are entitled to attai n the highest grades of education.
(2) T he State shall give effect to this principle by means
of scholarships, of contributions to the families of students and
other provisions on the basis of comoeti tive examinations.
Protection of work
IJ.-{l ) The State shall protect work.
(2) It shall provide for the professional or vocational
training and advancement of workers.
Hours of work
'4.- (1) The maximum number of hours of work per day shall
be fixed by law.
(2) The worker is entitled to a weekly day of rest and to
annual holidays with pay; he cannot renounce t his right.
Rights of women workers
IS. The State shall aim at ensuring that women workers enjoy
equal rights and the same wages for the same work as males.
Minimum age for paid labour
16. The mi nimum age for paid labo ur shall be prescribed by
Jaw.
Safeguarding labour of minors
17. The State shall provide for safeguarding the labour of
minors and assure to them the right to equal pay for equal work.
Social assistance and insurance
1S.- (1) Every citizen incapable of work and unprovided with
the resources necessary for subsistence is entitled to maintenance and
social assistance.
(2) Workers are entitled to reasonable insurance on a con-
tributory basis for their requirements in case of accident, illness, dis-
ability, old-age and involuntary unemployment .
(3) Disabled persons and persons incapable of work are
entitled to education and voca tio nal training.
Encouragement of private economic enterprise
19. The State shall encourage private economic enterprise.
Protection of artisan trades
20. The State shall provide for the protection and development
of artisan trades.
Encouragement of co-operatives
21. The State recognises the social function of co-operatives
and shall encourage th eir development.
Application of the principles contained in this Chapter
22. T he provisions of this Chapter shall not be enforceable in
any court, bu t the principles therein contained are nevertheless fun.
damental to the governance of the country and it shall be the aim of
the State to apply these principles in making laws.
CHAPTER III
CITIZENSHIP
Persons who become citizens on appointed day
23.- (1) Every person who, having been born in Malta, is on
the day before the appointed day a citizen of the United Kingdom
and Colonies shall become a citizen of Malta on the appointed day
P rovided that a person shall not become a citizen of Malta
by virtue of this subsection if neither of his parents was born in
Malta.
(2) Every person who, havin~ been born outside Malta, is
on the day before the appointed day a CItizen of the United Kingdom
and Colonies shall, if hIs father becomes, or would but for his death
have become, a citizen of Malta in accordance with the provisions
of subsection (1) of this section, become a citizen of Malta on the
appointed day.
Persons el/titled to be registered as citizens
24.-(1) Any person who, but for the provis? to subsect io n ( I)
of section 23 of this Constitution, would he a Cit izen of Malta by
virtue of tbat subsection shall be entitled, upon making application
before the expiration of two years from the appointed day in such
manner as may be prescribed, to be registered as a citizen of Malta
Provided that a person who has not attained t he age of
eighteen years (other than a woman who is or has been married) may
not himself make an applicatio n under this subsection, but an appli-
cation may be made on his behalf by the person who accord ing to
law has authority over him.
(2) Any woman who on the day before the appointed day
is or has been married to a person -
(a) who becomes a citizen of Malta by virtue of section
23 of this Constitution; or
(b) who having died before the appointed day would, but
for his death, have become a citizen of Malta by virtue of that
section,
shall be entitled, upon making application in such manner as may be
prescribed and, if she is a British protected person or a alien, upon
taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen of Malta .
(3) Any woman who on the day before the appointed day
is or has been manied to a person who becomes a cillzen of Malta
by registration under subsection (1) of section shall be entitled,
upon making application within such time and in such manner as
may be prescribed if she is a British protected person or an
alien, upon taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen
(4) Any woman who on the day before the appointed day
has been married to a person who becomes, or would, but for his
death, have become entitled to be registered as a citizen of Malta
under subsection (I) of this section, but whose marriage has been
terminated by death or by such dissolut ion as is valid under the law
of Malta shall be entitled, upon making application before the
expiration of two years from the appointed day and in such manner
as may be prescribed and, if she is a British protected person or an
alien, upon taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen
of Malta.
(5) The provisions of subsections (2), (3) and (4) of tb is
section shall be without prejudice to the provisions of section 23 of
this Constit ution.
Persons naturalised or registered as resident before appointed day
25.-(l) Any person who on the day before the appointed day
was a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies -
(a) having become such a citizen under the British
Nationality Act 1948 (a) by virtue of his having been natura_
lised in Malta as a British subject before that Act came into
force; or
11 &. 12 Oco. 6. c. S6.
(a)
(b) having become such a citizen by virtue of his having
been naturalised or registered in Malta under that Act,
shall be entitled, upon making applicatio n before the expiration of
two years from the appointed day in such man ner as may be pre-
scribed, to be registered as a citi ze n of Malta
Provided that a person who has not attained the age of
~ighteen years (other than a woman who is or has been marr ied) may
not himself make an application under th is subsection, but an appli-
cation may be made o n his behalf by the person who 3C{:ording to law
has authority over him.
(2) Any perso n who on the day before the appointed
d.y-
(a) was a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Re-
public of Ireland; and
is descended in the male li ne from a perso n born in
(h )
Malta,
and was on the day before the appointed day ord inarily reside nt in
Malta and had been so resident throughout the period of five years
immediately preceding that day shall be entitled, upon making appli-
catio n before the expiratio n of two years from the appointed day in
such manner as may be prescribed, to be registe red as a citizen of
Malta
Provided t hat a person who has not attai ned the age of
eighteen years (other tha n a woman who is or has been married)
may not himself make an appl icatio n under this subsection, but an
appl icat io n may be made on his behalf by the person who accord-
ing to law has authority over hi m.
Acquisition of citi;;enship by birth or descent by persons born on or
after appointed day
26_-(1) Every person born in Malta on or after the appoint.
ed day shall become a citizen of Malta at the date of his birth
Provided that a person shall not become a citizen of Malta
by virtue of this subsection if at the time of his birth-
(a) neither of his parents was a citizen of Malta and his
father po~sessed such immun ity from suit and legal process
as is accorded to an envoy of a foreign sovereign power aecred·
ited to Malta; or
(b ) his Cather was an enemy alien and the birth occurred
in a place then under occupation by the enemy.
(2) A person born outside Malta on or afte r the appoInt-
ed day shall become a citizen of Malta at the date of his birth if at
that date his father is a citizen of Malta otherwise than by virtue of
th is subsection or subsection (2) of section 23 of th is Constitution.
Marriage to citi:en of Malta
27. Any woman who on or after the appointed day ffiaTTies
a person who is or becomes a cit izen of Malta sball be entitled, upon
making application in such manner as may be prescribed and, if sbe
is a British protected person or an alien, upon taking the oath of
a\ligiance, to be registered as a citizen of Malta.
Dual citizenship
28,-(1) Any person who, upon his attainment of the age of
eighteen years, is a citizen of Malta and also a citizen of some
country other than Malta shaH cease to be a citizen of Malta upon
his attainment of the age of nineteen years (or, in the case of a
person of unsound mind, at such later date as may be prescribed) un·
less he has renounced his citizenship of that other country and, in the
case of a person who is a citizen of Malta by virtue of subsection
(2) of section 23 of this Constitution, has made and registered such
declaration of his intentions concerning residence or employment
as may be prescribed.
A perS<ln who -
(2)
(a) has atta ined the age of eighteen years before the ap-
pointed day; and
(b) becomes a citizen of Malta on that day by virtue of
the provisions of section 23 of this Constitution; and
(c) is immediately after that day also a citizen of some
country other than Malta,
shall cease to be a citizen of Malta on the expiration of two years
from the appointed day (or, in the case of a person of unsoun d mind,
at such later date as may be prescribed) unless he has renounced
his citizenship of that other country and, in the case of a person
who is a citizen of Malta by virtue of subsection (2) of section 23 of
this Constitution, has made and registered such declaration of his
intentions concerning residence or employment as may be prescribed.
A citizen of Malta shall cease to be such a citizen if -
(3)
having attained the age of eighteen years, he acquires
(IJ)
the citizenship of some country other than Malta by a voluntary
act (other than marriage); or
(b) having attained the age of eighteen years, he other-
wise acquires the cit izenship of some country other than Malta
and has not, befou the expira tion of one year after the date
on which he acquired the citizenship of that other country.
renounced his citizenship of that other country and made and
registered such declaration of his in tentions concerning resi dence
or employment as may be prescribed.
(4)
A person who -
(" becomes a citizen of Malta by registration under sec·
tion 24, 25 or 27 of th is Constitution: and
(b ) is immediately after the day on which he becomes a
citizen of Malta also a citizen of s.ome other country,
shall cease to be a citizen of Malta on the expiration of six months
after the date on which he acquired citizenship of Malta (or, in the
case of a pers.on of unsound mind, at such la ter date as may be pre·
scribed) unless he has renounced his citizenship of tha t other
country, and made and registered such declaration of his intentions
concerning residence or employment as may be prescribed.
(5) For the purposes of this section where, under the law
of a country other tha n Malta, a person cannot reno unce his
citizenship of that other country, he may instead make such decla-
ration concerning such citizenship as may be pre~cribed.
(6) Provision may be made by or under an Act of P arlia-
ment extending beyond the period specified in any provision of this
section the period in which any person may make a renunciation of
citizenship, or make or register a declaration for the purposes of
that provision of this section, and if such provision is made that
person shall not cease to be a citizen of Malta upon the expiration
of the period specified in this section but shall cease to be such a
citizen upon the expiration of the extended period if he has not then
made the renuncia t ion, or made or registered the declaration, as th e
case may be.
Commonwealth clllzens
29.- (1) Every person who under this Constitution or any
Ac t of Parliament is a cit izen of Mal t a or undcr any enactment for
the time being in force in any country to which this section applies
is a cit izen of that country shall, by virtue of tha t Citizenship, have
the stat us of a Commonwealt h citizen.
(2) Every person who is a British subj~t without citizen·
ship under the British Nationality Act 1948 or who continues
to be a British subject un der section 2 of that Act shall by
virtue of that status have the status of a Commonwealt h citizen.
0) Save as may be otherwise provided by Parliament.
the cou ntries to which this section applies are the Unitcd King·
dom and Colonies, Canada, Australia, N<!w Zealand, India, Pakistan.
Ceylon, Ghana, Malaysia, the Federation of Nigeria, the Republic
of Cyprus, Sierra Leone, Southern Rhodesia, the Unitcd Republic of
Tanganyika and Zanzibar, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda.
Kenya and Malawi.
Criminal liability of Commonwealth citizens
30.- 0) A Commonwealth citizen wbo is not a citizen of Malta
or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland who is not a citizen of
Malta shall not be guilty of an offence against any law in force
in Malta by reason of anything done or omitted in any part of
the Common wealth other tha n Malta or in the Republic of Ire-
land or in any foreign country unil$S -
(a) the act or omission would be a n offence if he were
an alie n; and
(b) in the case of an act or omISSIon in any part of the
Commonwealth or in the Republic of Ireland, it would be
an offence if the country in which the act was done or the
omission made were a foreign co untry.
(2) In tbis section "foreign co un try" means a country
(other than the Republic of Ireland) that is not a part of the Corn·
mo nweal t h,
Powers o( Parli(.!menl
31 .- (1) Parliame nt may make provision -
for t he acquisitio n of citizenship of Malta by per-
(a)
sons who do not become cit izeu of Malta by vi rtue of the
provisions of this Chapter;
(b) for deprivi ng of h is citizenship of Malta any person
who is a citizen of Malta otherw ise than by vi rt ue of -
(i) section 23 or subsection (I ) of section 26 of this
Constitutio n; or
(ii) s ubsection (2) of sect ion 26 of this Constit ut ion
in relatio n to a person born outside Mal ta whose fa t her
at the da te of that perso n's birth is a citizen of Malta by
virtue of s ubsection (I) of section 23 or subsectio n (I ) of
se(:tion 26 of this Constitu tio n;
for tbe ren unciat io n by any person of his citizenship
(c)
of Malta.
Provision may be made by or under an Act of Par·
(2)
liament for elCtending t he period in whic h anr person may ma ke
an application for registration as a cit izen 0 Mal ta, make a re·
nunciation of citizenshi p, take an oath or make or regis ter a dec-
larat ion for the purposes of the provisions of th is Chapte r.
InterprelUtion
n .- (l)
In t his Chapter -
"alien" means a person who is no t a Commo nwealth
citizen , a British protected person or a citize n of the Republic
of Ireland;
" British protected person" means a person who is a Bri·
tish protected person for th e purposes of the British Na tionality
Act 1948;
"prescribed" means prescribed by or under any Act of
Parliament.
(2) For the purposes of t his Chapter, a person born
aboa rd a reg is tered ship or aircraft, or aboard an unregistered ship
or aircraft of t he gove rnment of any country, shall be deemed to
have been bo rn in the place in which t he ship or aircraft was
regis tered or, as the case may be, in t hat country.
Any referen ce in this Chapter to the fa ther of a
(3)
person shall, in relation to a person born out of wedlock and
not legit imated, be construed as a reference to the mot her of t hat
person and, in relatio n to an adopted child whose adoption has
been regis tered tmder any law in force in Malta, be const rued
as a reference t o the ad0r.ter or. in the case of a joint adopt ion,
the male adopter, and re erences to the parent of such person shall
be construed aCCord ingly.
(4) Any reference in this Chapter to the national status
of the fathe r of a person at th e t ime of that perso n's birth shall,
in relation to a person born afte r the death of his father , be
construed as a refe rence to the national status of t he father at
the time of the father's death; and where that death occurred
before the appointed day and the birth occurred on or after the
appoi nted day, the natio nal status th at the father would have ha ll
if he had died on the appointed day shall be deemed to be his
nat ional status at th e time of his death.
CIIAPTER IV
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
OF THE INDIVIDUAL
F undamental tights andfreedoms of the individUQJ
n. Whereas every person in Malla is entitled to the fund a-
me ntal rights and freed a rns of the ind ividu al, that is 10 say, the right,
whatever his race, place of origin. political opinions. colour. cree d
or sex. but subiect to respect for the rights and freedoms of others
and for the public interes t, to each and an of th e followin g. namel y-
(a) life, liberty. secur ity of the person, the enjoyment of
property and the protection of the law;
(b) freedom of co nscience. of expression and of peacefu l
assembly an d association: and
(c) respect for his private an d family life,
the subseq uent provisions of th is Chapter shan have effect for the
purpose of affording protecti on to the aforesaid rights and freedo ms.
subject to such limita tions of that protection as are contai ned in
those provisions being limitations designed to ensure that the enjoy-
ment of the said rights and freedoms by any indi vidual does not
prejudice th e ri ghts and freedoms of others or the pu blic interest.
Protection of right to life
34.- (1) No person shall intentio nally be deprived of his Jife
save in execution of th e sentence of a court in respect of a criminal
offence under the la w of Malta of wh ich he has been co nvic ted.
12) Witho ut prej ud ice to any liability for a contravention
of any other law with respect to the use of fo rce in such cases
as are herei nafter mentioned, a person shall not be rega rd ed as
having been deprived of his life in contravention of this section
if he dies as the result of the use of force to such extent as is
reasonably justifiable in the circumstanc'!S of the case -
(a ) for the defence of any person from viole nce or for th e
defe nce 01 property
(b) in order to effect a lawful arres t or to prevent the
esca pe of a person la wfull y detained;
(c) for the pu rpose of suppressing a riot. ins urrectio n or
mutiny; or
(d) in order to prevent the commissio n by that person of a
criminal offence.
or if he dies as the result of a la wful act of wa r.
Protection from arbitrm'Y arrest or detentiOI1
35.- (1) No person shall be deprived of his personal liberty
save as may be authorised by la w in t he following cases, that is to
"y -
in consequence of his unfitness to plead to a criminal
(a)
charge;
in execution of the sentence or order of a court.
(b)
whethe r in Malta or elsewhere, in respect of a criminal offence
of which he has been convicted
(c) in execution of the order of a court punishing him for
contempt of that court or of another court or tribunal or in
execution of t he order of the House of Representatives punis h-
ing him for contempt oi itself or of its members or for breach
of privilege;
(d) in execution of the order of a court made to secure
the fu lfilment of any obligation imposed on him by law;
(e) for the purpose of bringing him before a court in
execution of the order of a court or before the House of Repre-
sentatives in execution of the order of that House;
IJ) upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed, or
being about to commit, a crim inal offence;
(g) in the case of a person who has not attained the age
of eighteen years, for the purpose of his education or welfare;
(h. for the purpose of preventing the spread of an
infectious or contagious disease;
(I) in the ease of a person who is, or is reasonably sus-
pected to be, of unsound mind, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or
a vagrant, for the purpose of his care or t reatment or the protec-
tion of the community; or
1]) for the purpose of preventing the unlawful entry of t hat
person into Malta, or for the purpose of effecting the expUlsion,
extradition or other lawful removal of that person from Malta
or the uking of proceedings relating thereto or for the purpose
of restraining tha t person while he is being conveyed through
Malta in the course of his extradition or removal as a convicted
prisoner from one country to ano ther_
(2) Any person who is arres led or detained shall be
informed, at the time of his arrest or detention, in a language t hat
he understands, of the reaso ns for his arrest or detention
Provided t hat if an interpreter is necessary and is nol
readily available or if it is otherwise impracticable to comply with
the provisions of this subsection at the time of the person's arrest
or detention, such provisions shall be complied with as soon as
practicable.
(3) Any person who is arrested or detained -
(0) for the purpose of bringing him before a court ID
execution of the order of a cour t; or
(b. upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed,
or being about to commit, a criminal offence,
and who is not released, shall be brought not later than (orty-eight
hours before a court; and if any person arrested or deuined in such
a case as is mentioned in paragraph (b) oC this subsection is not
tried within a reasonable time, then, without prejudice to any further
proceedings which may be brought against him, he shall be released
either unconditionally or upon re3.sonable conditions, including in
particular such conditions as afC reasonably necessary to ensure that
he appears at a later date for trial or for proceedings preliminary to
trial.
(4) Any person who is unlawfully arrested or detained by
any other person shall be entitled to compensation therefor from
that person.
(5) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of
any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of
this section to the extent that the law in question authorises the
taking during such a period of public emergency as is referred to In
paragraph (a) or (c) of subsection (2) of section 48 of this Consti·
tution of measures that are reasonably justifiable for the purpose of
dealing with the situation that exists during that period of public
emergency.
(6) If any person who is lawfully detained by virtue only
of such a law as is referred to in the last foregoing subsection so
requests at any time during the period of that detention not earlier
than six months after he last made such a request during that period,
his case shall be reviewed by an independent and impartial tribunal
established by law an<l composed of a person or perso ns each of
whom holds or has held judicial office or is qualified to be appointed
to such office in Malta.
(7) On any review by a tribunal in pursuance of the last
foregoing subsection of the case of any deta ined person, the t ribunal
may make recommendations concerning the necessity or expediency
of conti nuing h is detention to the authority by whom it was ordered,
but. unless it is otherwise provided by law, that authority shall
not be obliged to act in accordance with any such recommendations.
Protection from forced labour
36.- 0)
No person shall be required to perform forced labour.
(2) For the purposes of this
section,
the
expression
"forced labour" does not include -
(a) any labour required in consequence of the sentence
or order of a court;
labour required of any person while he is lawfully de-
(b)
tained by sentence or ordcr of a court that, though not required
in co nsequence of such sentence or order, is reasonably neces-
s~ry in the interests of hygiene or for the m~intenance of the
place at wh ich he is det~ined or, if he is detained for the pur·
pose of his care. t reatment. education or welfare, is reasonably
required for that purpose;
(c) any labour required of a member of a disciplined force
in pursuance of his duties as such or, in the case of a person
who has conscientious objections t o service as a member of a
naval, military or air force, any labour that that person IS re-
quired by law to perform in place of such service;
(d) any labour required during a period of public
emergency or in the event of any other emergency or calamity
that threatens the Jife or well-being of the community.
Protection from i71liuman treatment
37.-(1) No person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrad·
ing punishment or treatment.
(2) Not hing contained in or done under the authority of
any law shall be held 10 be inconsisten t with or in contravention
of this section to the extent that the law in question authorises the
inHiction of any description of punishment which was lawful in
Mal t a im med iately before the appointed day.
(3) (a) No law shaH provide for the imposition of collec-
tive punishments.
(b) Nothing in this subsection shall preclude the im-
position of collective punishments upon the members of a disciplined
force in accordance with the law regulating the discipline of that
force.
Protection from deprivation of property without compensation
38.- (1) No p roperty of any descript ion shall be compulsorily
taken possession of, and no interest in or right over property of anI'
description shall be compulsorily acquired, except where provision
is made by a law applicable to that taking of possession or acqui·
sition -
(a) for the paymen t of adequate compensation;
(h) securing to any person claiming such compensation a
right of access to an indepe nden t and impartial court or tr io
bunal est ablished by law for the purpose of determining his in·
terest in or right over the properly and the amount of any corn·
pe nsation to which he may be entitled, and for the purpose of
obtaining payment of that compensat ion; and
(cl securing to any party to proceedings in that court or
tr ibunal relating to such a claim a right of appeal from its de-
termination to the Co urt of Appeal in Malta.
(2) Noth ing in this section shall be construed as affect im
the making or operation of any law so far as it provides for the
taking of possessIOn or acquisi t ion of property -
(a) in sa t isfaction of any tax, rate or due
(b) by way of penalty for, or as a consequence of, breac h
of t he law, whether under civil process or after conviction of a
criminal offence;
(c) upon the attempted removal of the property out of or
into Malta in con travention of any law;
(d) by way of the taking of a sample for the purposes of
any law;
le) where the property consists of an animal upon its be-
ing found trespassing or straying ;
{() as an incident of a lease, tenancy, licence. priviJege or
hypothec, mortgage, charge, bill of sale, pledge or other con·
tract ;
(g) by way of the vesting or administration of property
on behaH and for the benefit of the person entitled to the bene-
ficial interest therein, trust property, enemy property or the
property of persons adjudged bankrupt or otherwise declared
bankrupt or insolvent, perS(Jns of unsound mind, deceased per·
sons, or bodies corporate or unincorporate in the course of be-
ing wound up or liquida ted;
(h) in the execution of judgments or orders of courts;
(!) by reason of its being in a dangerous state or injurious
to the health of human beings, animals or plants;
m
in consequence of any law with respect to the limitation
of actions, acquisitive prescription, derel ict land, treasure trove,
mortmain or t he rights of succession competent to the Crown
" (k) for so lo ng only as may be necessary for the purposes of
any examina ti on, inves tigation, trial or inquiry or, in the case of
land, the carrying out thereon -
(i) of work of soil conservation or the co nse rvation of
other natural resources of any description or of war damage
recons truction; or
(ii) of agr icul tural development or improvement which
the o wn er or occupier of the land has been required, and h as
without reasonable and lawful excuse refused or failed to
carry out.
(3) Nothing in this section shaH be construed as affecting
the making or operation of any law so far as it provides for vesting
in the Government of Malta the ownership of any underground mine-
rals, water or antiquities.
(4) Nothing in this section shaH be construed as affectin~
rh(' making or operation of any law for the compulsory tak ing of pos-
session in the public interest of any property, or the compulsory
acquisit ion in th(' public int('rest of any interest in or right over pro-
perty, where that property, interest or right is held by a body corpo-
rate wh ich is established for public purpose.<> by any law and in which
no monies have been in vested other than monies provided by any
legislature in Malta.
Pl'otectioll for privacy of hO»1(> or other property
39.- (1) Except with his own consent or by way of parental
discipline, no person shall be subjected to the search of his person or
his property or the entry by others on his premises.
(2) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of
any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of
this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision -
that is rl.'asonably required in th(' inter('st of defence,
(a )
public safety, public order, public morality or decency, public
health, town and country plan ning, th e development and utilisa-
tion of mineral resources, or the development and utilisation of
any property in such a manner as to promote the public benefit;
(b) that is reasonably required for the purpose of promot-
ing the rights or freedoms of other persons;
fe) that authorises a department of the Governme nt of
Malta. or a local lovern ment author ity, or a body corporate
established by la w or a public pur pose, to enter on the premises
of any person in orde r to inspect those premises or anyth ing
thereon for the pu rpo~ of any lax, ra te or due or in order to
carry out work connected with any property or installation wh ich
is lawfully on those premises and which belongs to that Govern·
me nt, th at authority, or that body corporate, as the case may
be; or
(d) t ha t a ut horises, for the purpose of enforcing a judgm en t
or order of a court, th e search of any perso n or property by order
of a court or entry upon any premises by such order, or that is
necessary for the pu rJX1SC of preve nti ng or detec t ing criminal
offences.
and except so far as th at provision or, as th e case may be, th e thi ng
done under the au thority thereof is shown no t to be reasonably justi·
fiable in a democratic society.
Provisious to secure protection of low
40.- (1 ) Whenever any person is charged with a criminal
offence he shall. unless the charge is withdrawn, be afforded a fair
hearing withi n a reasonable ti me by an independent and impartial
court established by law.
(2) Any court or other adj udica ting aut hori ty prescribed
by law fo r the determination of the existence or the extent of civil
rights or obligations shaH be independen t and im part ial; and where
proceedings for such a determination are instituted by any person be·
fore such a co urt or other adj udicating authority, th e case shall be
given a fair hearing within a reasonable time.
(J) Except with th e agreement of aH th e parties thereto, aH
proceedings of every Co urt and proceedings relating to the de termi na·
tion of t he exis tence or the extent of a person's civil rights or obliga.
tio ns before any oth er adjud icating au thor ity, including the announce-
ment of t he decisio n of the court or other authority, shaH be he ld in
public.
(4) Nothi ng in subsectio n (J) of th is section shall prevent
any court or any authority such as is me nt ioned in th at suhsection
from excluding from the proceedings persons other tha n the parties
thereto and their legal representa tives -
(0) in proceed ings before a court of vol un tary jurisdiction
and other proceedings which, in the practice of the Courts in
Malta are, or are of the same nature as those which are, d is posed
of in chambers;
(b ) in proceedings under any law relat ing to income tax; or
(e) to s uch extent as t he court or other authority -
(j) may consider necessary or exped ient in circum.
stances where publicity would prej udi ce the interes ts of
just ice; or
(i il may be empowered or req uired by law to do so in
the interests of defen ce, public safety, public order, public
mo rality or decency, the welfare of persons under the age of
eighteen years or th e protection of the private lives of per-
sons concerned in the proceedi ngs.
(5) Every per5(Jn who is charged with a criminal offence
shall be presumed to be inn ocent until he is proved or has pleaded
guilty
Provided that nothi ng co n13.ined in or done under the autho-
rity of any law shaH be held 10 be inconsistent with or in contraven-
t ion of this subsection to t he extent that the la w in quest ion imposes
upon any person charged as aforesaid the burden of proving parti.
cular facts.
(6) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence-
(a) shall be informed in writing, in a language which he
understands and in detail, of t he nature of the offence charged;
(b ) shall be given adequate lime and facilities for the pre-
paration of his defence;
(c) shall be permitted t o defe nd himself in person or by a
legal representative and a person who cannot afford to pay for
such legal representation as is reaso na bly required by the cir-
cumstances of his case shall be enti tled to have such represen-
tat ion at the public expense;
(d) shall be afforded facilities to examine in person or by
his legal representative the witnesses caned by the prosecution
before any court and to obtain the attendance of witnesses sub-
ject to th e payment of their reasonable expenses, and carry out
the examination of witnesses to testify on his behalf before the
court on the same conditions as those applyi ng to wit nesses
called by the prosecution; and
(e) sha1! be permitted to have wi t hout payment the assis-
ta nce of an interpreter of he cannot understand the language
used a t t he trial of the charge,
and except wit h his own consent the trial shall not take place in his
absence unless he so conducts himself as to render th e continuance
of the proceedings in his presence impracticable and the court has
ordered him to be removed and the trial to proceed in h is absence.
(7) When a person is tfied for any criminal offence, t he
accused person or any person authorised by him in that behalf shall,
if he so requires and subject to payment of such reasonable fee as
may be prescribed by la w, be given within a reasonable t ime after
judgment a copy for the use of the accused person of any record of
the proceedings made by or on behalf of th e court_
(8) No person shan be held to be guilty of a criminal of-
fence on account of any act or omission th at did not, at the time it
took place, constitute such an offence, and no penalty shall be im-
posed for any criminal offence which is severer in degree or des-
crip tion than the maximum penalty which might have been imposed
for t hat offence at t he time when it was comm itted.
(9) No person who shows that he has been tried by any
competent cou rt for a criminal offen ce and either convicted or ac-
quitted shall again be tried for that offence or for any other criminal
offence of which he co uld have been convicted at the t rial for that
offence save upon the order of a superior co urt made in t he course
of appeal or review proceedings relating to the conviction or acquit-
tal; and no person shall be tried for a criminal offence if he shows
that he has been pardoned for that offence
Provided that nothing in any law shall be held to be In-
consistent wit h or in contravention of this subsection by reason
only that it authorises any court to try a member of a disciplined
force fo r a criminal offence notwithstanding any trial and convic-
tion or acquittal of that member under the disciplinary law of that
force, so however that any court so trying soch a member and con-
lIicting him shall in sentencing him to any punishment take into
account any punis hment awarded him under that disciplinary law.
(10) No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall
be compelled to give evidence at his trial.
on
In this section "legal representative" means a person
entitled to practise in Malta as an advocate or, except in relation
to proceedings before a court where a legal procurator has no right
of audience, a legal procurator.
ProtectiOf! of freedOf!I of conscience
41.- (1) All persons in Malta shall have full freedom of con·
science and enjoy the free uercise of their respective mode of re-
ligious worship.
(2) Nothing contained in or done under the autho rity of
any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of
subsection (I), to the extent that the law in question makes pro-
vision tha t is reasonably required in the interests of public safety,
public order, public morality or decency, public health, or the pro--
tection of the rights and freedom s of others, and except so far as
that provision or, as the case may be, the thing done under the
authority thereof, is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a
democratic society.
ProtectiOf! of freedom of expression
42.--( 1) Except with his own consent or by way of parental
discipline, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his free-
dom of expression. including freedom to hold opinions without inter-
ference, freedom to receive ideas and information withou t inter-
ference, freedom to communicate ideas and information without
interference (whether the communication be to the public generally
or to any person or class of persons) and freed om from interference
with his correspondence.
(2) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of
any law s hall be held 10 be inconsistent with or in contravention of
subsection (l) of this section to the extent that the law in question
makes provision -
that is reasonably required -
(a)
(i) in the interests of defence, public safety, public
order, public morality or decency, Of public health; or
(ii) {or the purpose of protecting the reputations,
rights and freedoms of other persons, or the private lives
of persons concerned in legal proceedings, preventing the
disclosure of information received in confidence, maintain·
ing the authority and independence of the courts, prolect·
ing the privileges of Parliament, or regulatine telepho ny,
telegraphy, posts, wireless broadcasting, televiSIon or other
means of communication, public exhibitions or public
entertainments: or
Cb) that imposes restrictions upon public officers.
and excepts so far as that provision or , as the case may be, the
thing done under the authority thereof is shown nOI to be reason·
ably justifiable in a democratic society.
(3) Anyone who is resident in Malta may edit or print a
newspa per or journal published daily or periodically
Provided that provision may be made by Jaw -
(a) prohibiting or restricting the editing or printing of
any such newspaper or journal by persons under twenty-one
years of age: and
(b) requiring any person who is the editor or printer of
any such newspaper or journal to inform the prescribed
authority t o that effect and of his age and to keep the pre-
scribed authority informed of his place of residence.
(4) Where the police seize any edition of a newspaper
as being the means whereby a criminal offence has been committed
they shall within twenty-four hours of the seizure bring th e seizure
to the notice of the competent court and if the court is not satisfied
that there is a prima facie case of such offence, tha t edition shall
be returned to the person from whom it waS seized.
(5) No person shall be de prived of his citizenship under
any provisions made under section 31(1) (b) of this Co nst it ution or
of his juridical capacity by reason only of his polit ical opinions.
Protection o f freedom of assembly alld association
43.- (1) Except with his own consent or by way of parental
disc ipline no person shall be hindered in th e enjoyment of his free-
dom of peaceful assembly and association, that is to say, his right
peacefully to assemble freely and associate with other persons and
in particular to form or belong to trade or other unio ns or associa·
tions for the protection of his interests.
(2) Not hi ng contained in or done under the authority of
any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of
this section to th e extent that the law in question makes provision-
(a) that is reasonably requ ired -
0) in the interests of de fe nce, public safety, public
order, public morality or decency, or pu blic health; or
(ii) for the purpose of protecting the rights or free-
doms of other persons; or
th at imposes restrictions upon public officers.
(b)
and except so far as that provision or. as the case may be, the thing
done under the authority thereof is shown not to be reasonably justi·
fiable in a democratic society.
Prohibition of deportation
44.- {l ) Extradition is only permitted in pursuance of a r·
rangements made by treaty and unde r the authority of a law.
(2) No person shall be extradited for an offence of a
political character.
(3) No citizen of Malta shall be removed from Malta ex-
cept as a result of extradition proceedings or under any such law as is
referred to in section 45(3)(b) of this Constitution.
(4) The provisions made by or under the Fugitive Offen-
ders Act 1881 (a), as for the time being in force in Malta, for the re-
moval of persons from Malta to another country to undergo trial
or punishment in that country in respect of an offence committed
in that country and any general arrangements for the extrad ition
of persons between Commonwealth countries to which Malta for
the time being adhe res shall be deemed. for the purposes of sub-
section ( I) of this section, to be arrangements made by t reaty, and
subsection (2) shall not apply in relation to t he removal or extra-
dition of a person under such provisions or arrangements.
Protectioll of freedom of movement
45,- (1 ) No citizen of Malta shall be deprived of his free-
dom of movement, and for the purpose of this section the said free-
dom means the righ t to move freely throughout Malta, the right to
reside in any part of Mal ta. the right to leave and the righ t to
enter Malta.
(2) Any res triction on a citizen's freedom of movement
that is involved in his lawful deten tion shall not be held to be in-
consistent with or in contrave ntion of th is section.
0) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of
any law shaH be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention
of this section to t he extent that the law in question makes pro-
vision -
(a) for the imposition of restrictions t hat are reasonably
required in the interests of defence. public safety, public
order, public morality or decency, or public health and e:<cept
so far as that provision or, as the case may be, t he thing done
under t he authority thereof is shown not to be reasonably
justifiable in a democratic society;
(b) for the im!?,!sit ion of restrictions on the freedom of
movement of any CItizen of Malta who is not a citizen by
virtue of section 23(1) or 26(1) of this Constitution;
(c) for the imposition of restrictions llpon the movement
or residence within Malta of public officers; or
(d) for the imposition of restrictions on the right of any
person to leave Malta that are reasonably required in order to
secure the fulfilment of any obligation imposed on that person
by law and except so far as that provisio n or, as the case may be,
the thing done under the authority thereof is shown not to be
reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.
(4) For the purposes of this section any person-
(a ) who has emigrated from Malta (whether before, on or
after the appointed day) and. having been a citizen of Malta by
virtue of section 23(1) or 26(1) of this Constitution, has ceased
to be such a citizen; or
(b) who emigrated from Malta before the appointed day
and, but for his havi ng ceased to be a citizen of the United
Kingdom and Colonies before that day, would have become a
citizen of Malta by virtue of section 23{l) of this Constitution;
(c) who is the wife of a person mentioned in paragraph (a)
or (b) of this subsection or of a person who is a citizen of Malta
by virtue of section 23(1) or 26(1) of this Constitution and
is living with that person or is the child under twenty-one years
of age of such a person;
shall be deemed to be a citizen of Malta by virtue of section 23(1) or
26(1) of this Constitution.
(5) If any person whose freedom of movement has been
restricted by virtue of such a provision as is referred to in sub-
section (3)(a) of this section so requests at any time during the
period of that restriction not earlier than six months after the
order was made or six months after he last made such request, as
the case may be, his case shall be reviewed by an independent and
impartial tribunal established by law composed of a person or per-
sons each of whom holds or has held judicial office or is qualified
to be appointed to such office in Malta
Provided that a person whose freedom of movement has
been restricted by virtue of a restriction which is applicable to
persons generally or to general classes of persons shall not make a
request under this subsection un less he has first obtained the con-
sent of the Civil Court, First Hall.
(6) On any review by a tribunal in pursuance of t his
section of the case of a person whose freedom of movement has
been restricted the tribunal may make recommendations concern-
ing the necessity or expediency of continuing the restriction to the
authority by which it was ordered but, unless it is otherwise pro-
vided by law, that authority shalt not be obliged to act in accordance
with any such recommendations.
Protection from discrimination on the grounds of race, etc,
46.----(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (7)
of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discrimi-
natory either of itself or in its effect.
(2) Subject to the provisions of subsections (6), (7) and (8)
of this section, no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner
by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the perform-
ance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
(3) In this section, the expression "discriminatory" means
affording different treatment to d ifferent persons attributable
wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of
origin, political opinions, colour or creed whereby persons of one
such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which
persons of another such description are not made subject or are
accorded privileges or advantages which are not accorded to persons
of another such description.
(4) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any
law so far as that law makes provision -
for the appro pria tio n of public revenues or other public
(a )
funds; or
(b ) with respect t o persons wh o are not cit izens of Malta;
.,
with respect to adoption, marriage. dissol ution of mar·
(cl
rage, buri al. devolutio n of property on dea th or any matters of
personal la w not he rei nbefore specified; or
(d) whereby perso ns of any such descripti on as is men-
tioned in subsection (3) of this section may be subjected to any
disability or restriction or may be accorded any privilege or
advantage which, hav ing regard to its nature and to special
circumstances pertaining t o those persons or to persons of any
other such description and to any ot her provision of this Con-
stit ution, is reasonably justifiable in a democrat ic society; or
(e) for authorising the taking during a period of public
emerge ncy of measures that are reasonab ly justifiable for the
purpo:;e of dealing witll the situation t lla t exists d ur ing that
penod of public emerge ncy.
(5) Nothing co nta ined in any law shall be held to be in·
consistent with or in con traven tion of su bsection (I) of this section
to the extent that it makes provisio n with respect to qualifications
for service as a pu blic officer or as a member of a diSCIpli ned force
or for the service of a local government authority or a body corpo-
rate established for public purposes by any la w.
(6) Subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to any·
thing wh ic h is expressly or by necessary implication auth orised to
be done by any such provision of law as is referred 10 in subsect ion
(4) or (5) of this secti on.
(7) No thing conta ined in or done und er th e aUlhority of
any law shall be he ld to be inconsistent wi th or in contravention of
th is section to the extent that the law in qu estion makes provision
whereby persons of any such description as is men tioned in sub-
secti on (3) of th is sectio n may be subj ected to any res triction o n the
r igh ts and freedoms guara nteed by sections 39, 41, 42, 43 and 45 of
th is Constitution, being such a restr iction as is auth orised by sec·
tion 39(2), 41(2), 42(2), 43(2) or 45(3).
(8) No th ing in subsect io n (2) of this section shall affect
any discretion rel ating to the inst itu tion, conduct o r discon t in uance
of civil or cr imi nal proceedings in any court that is vested in any
person by or under th is Constit ution or any other law.
(9) Noth\\ithstanding any other provision of this Consti·
tution, no person not professing the R oman Catholic Apostolic
Religion shall hold any office entailing the teaching of that religion.
Enforcement of protective provisions
47.-{1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (6) and (7)
of this section, any person who alleges that any of the provisions of
sections 34 to 46 (i nclusive) of this Const itution has been, is being
or is likely to be co ntravened in relation to him, or such other
person as the Civil Court. First Hall. in Malta !!lay appoi ~ 1 ~t the
instance of any person who so alleges, may, WIthout prejudice 10
any other action with respect 10 th e same matter that is lawfully
available, apply t o t he Civil Co urt. First Hali, for redress.
(2) The Civil Court, First Hall, shall have original juris-
diction to hear and determine any applicat ion made by any person
in pursuance of subsection 0) of this section, and may make such
orders, issue such writs and give such directions as it may consider
appropriate for the purpose of enforcing, or securi ng the enforce-
ment of, any of the rrovisions of the said sections 34 to 46 (inclusive)
to the protection 0 which the person concerned is entitled
Provided that the Court may, if it considers it desirable so
to do, decline to exercise its powers under this subsection in any
case where it is satisfied t hat adequate means oC redress for the
contravention alleged are or have been available to the person con-
cerned under any other law.
() If in any proceedings in any court other than the
Civil Court, First Hall. or the Constitutional Court any question
arises as to the contravention of any of the provisions of the said
sa:tions 34 to 46 (inclusive). that court shall refer the ques tion to
the Civil Court. F irst Hall. unless in its opinion the raising of the
question is merely fri volous or vexatious; and that court shall give
its decision on any question referred to it un der this subsection
and, subject to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, and
of section 103(2) of this Constitution. the court in which the
question arose shall dispose of the qu estion in accordance with th at
decision.
(4) Any party to proceedings brought in the Civil Court,
First Hall, in pursuance of this section shall have a right of appeal
to the Constitutional Court.
(5) No appea l shall lie from any determina tion under this
section that any application or the raising of any question is merely
frivolous or vexatious.
(6) Provision may be made by o r under an Act of
Parliament for conferring upon the Civil Court, First H all, such
powers in ad dition to those conferred by th is section as are :-Ieees·
sary or desirable for the purpose of enabling the Court more coffee-
tively to exercise the jurisdi ction conferred upon it by this section.
(7) Rules of court making provision with respect (0 the
practice and procedure of the Courts of Malta for the purposes of
t his section may be made by the person or authority for the time
being having power to make rules of court with respect to the
practice and procedure of those Courts, and shall be designed to
secure that the procedure shat! be by application and that th e hear·
ing shall be as expeditious as possible.
Interpretation of Chapter IV
48.-(1) In this Chapter. save where the context otherwise
requires. the following expressions shall have the following mean·
ings respectively. that is to say -
"contravention". in relation to any requ irement, includes
a failure to comply with that requi rement. and cognate expres-
sions shall be constru ed accordingly;
"court" means any court of law in Malta other than a
court constituted by or under a disciplinary law and in sections
34 and 36 of this Consti tutio n includes. in relation to an offence
against a discipli nary law. a court so constituted ;
"disciplinary law" means a la w reg ulating the disci pline -
(a) of any discipli ned force; or
(b ) of persons servi ng prison sentences;
"d isciplined force" means -
(a) a na val, military or air force of the Crown in right of
the Government of Malta;
(b) the Malta Police Force;
(c) any other police force established by la w in Malta;
(d) t he Malta prison service;
"mem ber", in relation to a disciplined force, includes any
person who, under the law regulating the d isci pline of that
force, is subject to t ha t discipli ne.
(2)
In this Chapter "period of public emergency" mea ns
any period during which -
Malta is engaged in any war; or
(a)
(bl there is in force a proclamation by the Governor
General declaring that a Slate of public emergency exists; or
(c) there is in force a resolution of the House of Repre-
sentatives supported by the votes of not less t han two·thirds
of all the Members of the House declaring that democratic in·
stitutions in Malta are threatened by subvef5ioD.
(3) (a) Where an y proclamation of emergency has been
made, the occasion therefor shall forthw ith be communicated to the
House of Representatives and, if the House is then separated by
such adjournment or prorogation as will not expire withi n ten days
the Governor General shall by proclamation summon it to meet
withi n five days and it shall accordi ngly meet and sit upon the day
appointed by the proclamation and shall continue to sit and act as
if It had stood adjourned or prorogued t o that day.
(b) A proclamation of emergency shall, unless it is sooner
revoked by the Governor General, cease to be in force at the expira·
tion of a period of fourteen days beginn ing on the date on wh ich it
was made or such longer period as may be provided under the oext
following paragraph, but without prejudice t o the making of another
proclamation of emergency at or before the end of that period.
(c) If at any ti me while a proclamation of emergency is in
force (including any time while it is in force br virtue of this para·
graph) a resolution is passed by the House 0 Representatives ap-
proving its continuance in force for a furth er period, not exceeding
t hree months, beginning on the date on which it would otherw ise
expire, the proclamation shall, if not sooner revoked, continue in
force for that fu rther period.
(4) A resolution such as is referred to in paragraph (c ) of
subsection (2) of this section shall, unless it is soone r revoked by the
House of Representat ives, cease to be in force at the expiration of
twel ve months beginning on t he date o n which it was passed or such
shorter period as may be specified therein, but without prej udice t o
the passmg of another resol ution by the House of Representatives in
the manner prescribed by that paragraph at or before the end of that
period.
In relation to any person who is a member of a disci·
(S)
plined force raised under any law in force in M31ta. nothing contained
in or done under the authority of the disciplinary law of that force
shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of any of
the provisions of th is Chapter other than sections 34, 36 and 37.
(6) In relation to any person who is a member of a disci-
plined force raised otherwise than as aforesaid and lawfully presen t
in Malta, nothing contained in or done under the authority of the
disciplinary law of that force shall be held to be inconsistent with or
in contravention of any of the provisions of this Chapler.
(7) Nothing contained in any such law as is specified In
tbe First Schedule to t his Constitution and, until the expiration of
a period of three years commencing with the appointed day, nothing
contained in any other law made before the appointed day shall be
held to be inconsistent with the provisions of sections 34 to 46 (in·
elusive) of this Chapter an d. subject as aforesaid. nothing done under
the autho rity of any such law shaH be held to be done in contraven·
tion of those sections.
(8) Where any provision of law enacted before the appoint.
ed day is held to be inconsistent with any of the provisio ns of sec·
tions 34 to 46 (incl usive) of this Chapter. no person sha lt be entitled
to compensation in respect of anything done under the auth ority
of that provision before it was so held 10 be inconsistent.
(9) Nothing in section 38 of this Constitut ion shall affect
the operation of any law in force immediately before lrd March
\962 or any law made on or after that date that amends or replaces
any law in force immediately before that date (or such a la w as from
t ime to time amended or replaced in the manner described in this
subsection) and that does not -
(a) add to the ki nds of property that may be take n posses-
sion of or the rights over and interests in property that may be
acqu ired;
(b ) add to the purposes for which or circumstances in
which such property may be taken possession of or acquired;
make the conditions governing entitlement to compen-
(c)
sation or the amount thereof less favourable to any person own·
ing or inte rested in the property; or
deprive any person of any right such as is mentioned
(d)
in paragraph (b) or paragraph (c ) of se<:t io n 38(1 ) of this Consti·
tution.
he has the qual ifications for regist ra tion as a voter for the election of
members of the House of Represen tatives mentioned in section 58 of
thi~ Constitution.
Disqlla/i/icolions for membership of HO/He of Representatives
55.- (1 ) No perso n shall be qUlllilied to be elected as a member
of the House of Representatives -
(a) il he is il citizen 01 a country other than Malta ha vjn~
become such a citizen voluntarily or is under a declara tion 01
allegiance to such a country;
(b) save as otherw ise provided by Parl iament, if he holds
or is acting in any public office or is a member of the armed
forces of the Crown;
(c) if he is a party to, or is a partner with unlimited liability
in a partnership or a director or manager of a company which is
a party to, any contract wl:h the Government of Malta for or on
accooot of the I'UbhC setV\ce and has not. v"thin one month be
fore the date 0 elect ion, published in the Gazette a notice set-
ting out the n~tu re of any such contract, and hIS interest, or the
interest 01 any such partnership or company, therein;
(d) if he is an und ischarged bankrupt, having been ad·
judged or otherwise declared bankrupt und er any law in force in
Malta;
(e) if he is interdicted or incapacitated for any mental in-
firmi ty or fo r prodigality by a court in Malta, or is otherwise de·
tcrnlined in Malta to be of unsound mind;
If) if he is under sentence of death im posed on him by any
cour t in Malta or is scrv;ng a sentence of imprisonment (by what-
ever name called), exceeding twelve mon ths imposed on him by
such a court or substituted by competent authority for some
ot her sentence imposed on him by sue h a court, or is under such
a sentence of imprisonment the execution of which has been
suspended
(gl if he holds or is acting in an y oHice the functions of
whic h involve allY responsibility for, or in connection with, the
conduct of any election of members of the House of Representa·
tives or the compilat ion or revision of any electoral regis ter;
(h) if he is d isq ualified for membership of the House of Re-
presentatives by or under any law for the time being in force in
Malta by reason of his having been convicted of any offence con-
nected w.th t he election of members of the House of Representa-
tives.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph m of subsection (I) of
this section -
(Q) two or more sentences that are required to be served
consecuti vely shall be regarded as separate sentences if none of
them exceeds twelve months. but if any one of the m e)[cceds t hat
term they ~ha l1 be regarded as one sentence; and
(b) no account shall be taken of a sentence of imprison-
ment imposed as an alternative to, or in default of, the payment
of a fine.
(3) A perso n shall not be treated as holding, or acti ng in, a
public office for the purpose of paragraph (h) of subsection (I) of th is
section -
(a ) if he is on leave of absence pe ndi ng relinquishment of a
public office;
(b) if he is a teacher at tbe Royal University of Malta who
is not by the tenns of his em ployment prevented from the private
practice of his profession or called upon to place his whole time
at the disposal of the Government of Malta.
Temlre of office of members
56.- (1) The seal of a member of Parliament shall become
vaca nt -
upon th e nex t dissolution of Parlia men t after his
(a)
election;
(b) if he resigns his seat by writing un der his hand ad·
dressed to the Speaker or, if the office of Speaker is vacant or the
Speaker is absent from Malta. to the Dep uty Speaker;
(e) ifhe becomes a party to any contract \\ith the Govern-
ment of Malta for or on accOlmt of the public service, or if any
partnership in which he is a partner with unlimited liability or a
company of which he is a director or manager becomes a party
to any such contract, . or ifhe becomes a partner \\ith unlimited
liability m a partnership or a director or manager of a company
that is a party to any such contract
Provided that he shall no t vacate his seat under the provi-
sions of t his paragraph if before becoming a party to the con-
tract or before. or as soon as practicable after. becoming other-
wise interested in the contract (whether as a partner with unli-
mited liability in a partnership or as a d irector or manager of a
company) he discloses to the Speaker the nature of the contract
and his in.erest or the imerest of the partnersh ip or company
there:n and the House of Representatives by resolution exempts
him from thc provisions of this parayaph ;
(d) if he is absent from the sittings of the House of Repre-
sentatives for such period and in such circumstances as may be
prescri bed by the Standing Orders of the House;
if he ceases to be a ci tizen of Malta;
(e)
({) if he ceases to be q ua lifi ed for registration as a voter for
the election of members of the House of Representatives;
(g) subject to the provisions of s ubsection (2) of Ihis sec-
tion. If any circumsta nces arise th at if he were not a member of
the House of Representatives, would cause him to be disqualified
for electio n thereto.
(2) (Q) If circumstances such as are referred to in para-
graph (g) of subsect(o n (I) of t his section arise because a ny member
of the House of Representatives is under sentence of death or impri-
sonment. interdicted or incapacitated or adjudged to be of unsound
mind. ad judged or otherwise declared bankrup t or convicted of an
offence connected wit h elections and if it is open to the membe r to
appeal aga ins t the decis ion (either with the leave of a COUTI or oth er
autho rity or without such leave), be shall forthwith cease 10 perform
his funct ions as a member of the House but, subject to the provisions
of this section, he shall no t vaca te his seat un t il the expiration of a
period of th irty days thereafter
Provided that the Speaker may. from time to time, extend
that period for further periods of thi rty days to enable th e member to
pursue an appeal agai nst the decision, so however th at extensions
of time exceeding in th e aggrega te one hundred and fifty days shall
not be given without the approv al, signified by resolution, of t he
House.
(b) If. on the determina ti on of any appeal. such cir-
cumstances continue t o exist and no further appeal is open to the
membe r, or if, by reason of the expirat io n of any period for en-
t ering an appeal or notice th ereof or the refusal of lene to appea l
or for any ot her reason. it ceases to be open to the member to
appeal. he shall forthwith vacate his seat.
(c) If at any t ime before t he membe r vacates his seat
such circumstances as aforesaid cease t o exist, his seat shall not
become vacant on the expiration of the period referr ed t o in para·
graph (a) of this subsection and he may resume t he perfo rm ance
of his functions as a member of the House of Representatives.
(d ) For the purposes of this subsection "appeal"
means, in the case of an order by a court of voluntary jurisdiction
for th e interdict ion or incapacitation of a member of t he House of
Representatives, t he taking of any ac tion for t he review of that
order bdofe th e Civil Court, First Hall.
Voting at Elections
57. (1 ) The members of the House of Representatives shall
be elected upon the princi ple of proportional rep resenta tion by
means of t he single transferable vote fro m ten electoral divisions.
(2) No person shall vote at the election of members of
the House of Representatives for any electoral di vision who is not
registered und er any law for the lime being in force in Malta as a
voter in that division.
At t he election of membe rs of t he HOl:se of Repre-
(3)
sentatives -
(a) voting shall be by ballot and shaH be carried out in
such a manner as not to disclose the way in which the vote of
any particular voter is given ; and
no person shall be permitted to vote on behalf of
(b)
another
Provided that proviSion may be made by la w whereby. if
a person is unable, by reason of blindn ess, other physical cause
or illiteracy to mark his ballot paper. his ballot paper may be
marked on his behalf a nd on his direct ions by some other person
officially supervising the poll at the place of voting.
(4) Ballot papers shall be dra\\ll up in such a way as to
enable illiterates to distinguish between th e political parties to which
candidates belong.
(5) Candidates and their agents shall be give n facilitie<i
to watch the transportation of ballot boxes and the sealing and
unseating thereof.
Qllalificatioll of voters
SS. Sub ject to the provIsions of section 59 of this Consti tu·
t io n, a person shall be qualified to be reg is tered as a voter for tht
elect io n of members of t he House of Representatives if. and shall
not be qu alifi ed t o be so registered un less -
(a ) he is a citize n of Malta;
(b) he has attained the age of I\.venty-one years; and
(c) he is resident in Malta and has during the two years
immediately pr«eding his registration been so residen t for a
continuous period of one yea r or for periods amounting in
the aggregate to one year.
Disqualification of voters
59. No person shall be qual ified to be registered as a voter
for the electio n of membe rs of the House of Representatives if -
(a ) he is interdi cted or incapacitated for any mental in·
firm ity by a court in Malta or is otherwise dete rm ined tn
Malta t o be of unsound mind
(b) he is und er sente nce of death imposed on him by
any court in Malta or is ser ving a sentence of impriso nment (by
whatever name called) e)(ceeding twelve months imposed on him
by such a court or SU bstituted by competent auth ority for some
other sentence imposed on him by such a court, or is under such
a sentence of imprisonment the e)(ecution of wh ich has been
suspended; or
(c ) he is disqualified for regis tratio n as a vo ter by or
und er any law for the time bei ng in force in Malta by reason
of his havi ng been convic ted of an y offence connected with
the election of members of the House of Representatives.
Speaker and Deputy Speaker
60.- (1) W he n the House of Representatives firs t meets after
any gene ra l elec tio n and befo re it proceeds to the despatch of any
oth er business, it shall elect a person to be the Speaker of the
House: an d if t he office of Speaker falls vacan t at any time before
th e next d issolut io n of Parlia ment, the House shall, as soon as
practicab]e, elec t anot her person to th at office,
(2) The Speaker may be elected either -
(a) from among persons who are members of the House
of Representa t ives. but are not Minist ers or Pa rliamentary
Secretaries, or
(b ) from amo ng perso ns who are not members of the
House of Represen tatives and are qua lifi ed for elect ion as
members thereof.
When the House of Representa tives firsl meets alter
(3)
any general elect ion and before it proceeds to the despatch of
any other business except the election of the Speaker, t he House
shall elect a member of the House, who is not a Minister or a
Parliamentary Secretary. to be Deputy Speaker of the House; and
if t he office of Deputy Speaker falls vacant at any t ime before the
next dissolu tion of Parliament, the House shall, as soon as COIl-
venient, elect another such member to that office.
(4) A person shall va ca te the office of Speaker Of Depu ty
Speaker -
(a) in the case of a Speaker elected Irom among the mem-
bers of t he House of Represent atives or in the case of the
Deputy Speaker -
(i) if he ceases to be a member of the House
Provided that the Speaker shall not vacatt! his office
by reason only that he has ceased to be a member of the
House on a dissolut io n of Parliament, until the House first
meets aft er that dissolution;
(ii) if he is appointed to be a Minister or a Parlia·
men tary Secretary;
(b) in the case of a Speaker elected from among persons
who aTe not members of the House of R cpr~entativcs -
(i) when the House first meets after any dissolution
of Parl iament;
(ii ) if any circumstances arise that would cause him
to be di:>qualified for election as a member of the House
of Representatives;
(c) if he announces his resignation of his office to the
H ouse of Representatives or if by writing under his hand ad-
dressed, in the case of the Speaker to the Clerk of the House
and in the case of the Deputy Speaker to the Speaker (or. if
t he office of Speaker is vacant or the Speaker is absent from
Malta, to the Clerk of the House) he resigns that office; or
(d) in the case of th e Deputy Speaker, if he is elected
to be Speaker,
(5) (a) If, by virtue of subsection (2) of section 56 of this
Constitutio n, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker is required to cease
to perform his functions as a member of the House of Representa-
t ives he shall also cease to perform his functions as Speaker or
Deputy Speaker, as the case may be, and those functions shall
until he vacates his se~t in the House or resum es the performance
of the functions of his office, be performed -
(i) in the case of the Speaker, by the Deputy Speaker or,
if the office of Deputy Speaker is vacant or the Depu ty Speaker
is req uired to cease to perform his fu nct ions as a member of
the H ouse of Representatives by virtue of subsection (2) of
section 56 of t his Constitution, by such member of the House
(no t being a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary) as the House
may elect for the purpose;
(ii) in the case of the Deputy Speaker. by such member
of t he House (not being a Minister or Parliamenta ry Secretary)
as th e House may elect for the purpose.
If the Speaker or Deputy Speaker resumes the per-
(b)
fo rmance of his functions as a member of the House. in accor-
dance with the provisions of subsection (2) of section 56 of this
Constit ution. he shall also resume the performance of his functions
of Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be.
Establishment of Electoral Commission
61 .- (1) There shall be an Electoral Commission for Malta.
(2) The Electoral Commission shall consist of a Chairman.
who shall be the person for the time being holding the office of
Chief Electoral Commissioner and who shall be appointed to that
office from the publiC service, and such number of members
not being less than fo ur as may be prescribed by any law for
the time being in force in Malta.
(3) The members of the Electoral Commission shall be
appointed by the Governor-Genera\.. acting in accordance wit h the
advice of the Prime Minister, given after he has consulted the Leader
of the Opposition.
(4) A person shall not be qualified to hold office as a
member of the Elecloral Commission if he is a Mi nister, a Par-
liamentary Secretary, a member of, or a candidate for election to.
the House of Representatives or a public officer.
(5) Subject to the provisions of th i5 section, a member
of the Electoral Commission shall vacate his office -
(a) at the expiration of three years from the date of his
appointment or at such earlier time as may be specified in the
instrument by which he was appointed; or
(b) if any circumstances arise that. if he we re nol a
member of t he Commission, would cause hi m to be disquali-
fied f{)f appointment as such.
(6) Subject to the provisions of subsection (7) of this
section, a membe r of the Electoral Commission may be removed
from office by the Governor-General ac ting in accordance with
the advice of t he Prime Minister.
(7) A member of the Electoral Commi5sion shall not be
removed from office except fo r inability to discharge the functions
of his office (whether arisi ng from infirmity of mind or body or
any other cause) or fo r misbehaviour.
(8) If the office of a mem ber of the Electoral Commission
is vacant or if a member is for any reason unable to perform the
functions of his office, the Governor-General, acting in accordance
wi th the advice of the Prime Minister, given after he has consulted
the l eader of the Opposition, may appoint a person who is qualified
to be appointed to be a member to be a te mporary member of the
Commission ; and any person so appoi nted shall, subject to the pro-
visions of subsections (5), (6) and (7) of th is section, cease to be such
a member when a person has been appointed to fill the vacuncy or,
as the case may be, when the member who was unable to perform
the functions of his office resumes those functions.
(9) In the exercise of its functions under this Constitu tion
the Electoral Commission shull not be subject to the direction or
control of any other person or authority.
EiL-c/oraJ Divisions
The Elec toral Com misSion shall revie w the ooundriel.
" .- (1)
of the electoral di visio ns referred to in section S7(1) of this
Constitut ion at in tervals of not less than 11'00 nor more t han five
years and may, in accordance with the prO\'isions of this sect ion.
alte r such boundaries to such ('xtent a~ it considers desirable in the
ligh; of the review
Provided that the Commission shall Carry out such a review
and in accordance with the provisions of this section, alter the said
boundaries whenever Parliament has made provision altering the
number of electoral divisions or alterin~ the number of the members
of the House of Representatives in such a way that the nmnber is
Ilot divisible by the number of electoral divisions; and in addition
the Commission may at any time cany out such a review and, in
accordance \\ith the provisions
of this section, alter the said
botmdaries to such extent as it considers
destrable m consequence
of the holding of a census of the population in pursuance of any law.
(2) Any provision by Parliament altering the number of
electoral divisions or alterin,li: the number of the
members of the
House of Representatives in such a way that that number is not
divisible by the number of electoral divisions hall come into effect
when the alteration of the botmdaries of the electoral divisions that.
in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, is
consequential thereon comes into effect.
(3) Any alteration ofbotmdaries tmder this section
shall·
come into effect upon the next dissolution of Parli ament after the
alteration has been approved by the House Representatives
Provided that nothin!\. in this subsection shaH be COMtrued
as preven ting the publication of any electoral register or any ol her
requirement COlllltttcd with the registration of voters from bein~
carried out in accordance with the alteration, under any law for
the time.being in force in Malta, before that dissolution.
(4) An alteration of the boundaries of any electoral d ivision
under this sec tion shall be made in such manner as secures thai,
at the time when the Commission ca rr ies out its revie w, the numher
ob ta ined by dividing th e total electorate in the division (as ascer-
tained by reference to the electoral register in force at that time)
by the number of members to be returned to the House of Repre.
sen tatives from that divislon is as nearly equal 10 the electoral quo ta
as is reasonably practicable
Provided thal any such alteration may be made in such
manner thal the number of voters in tha t div ision is, at th e time
when the Commission carries out its re vie w. greater or less th an
the electoral qu ota mul tiplied by the numbe r of members t o be so
returned, but in no case by more than fifteen per centum, in order
10 take accotmt of means of cOlumunication, differences in density
of population, parish botmdaries and other relevenl factors.
(5) For th e purposes of any review carried out unde r this
sect ion, "electoral q uota ' mea ns the number obtained by di\'iding
the total electorate of Mal ta (as ascerta ined from the electoral regis·
ter in force at the time wh en the Commission carries out that reviewl
by the total number of members to be re turned to the House of
Representatives at the general election following the next dissolu·
tion of Parliament.
(6) The conduct of elections in every electoral divi sion
and of any vOle take n under the provisions of s ection 67(3) of this
Constitutio n s hall be subject to the direct ion and supervision of
t he Electoral Commission.
Filling of IJ(lCcmcies
63. Whenever the seat of any member of the House of
Represe ntatives becomes vaca nt th e vaca ncy shall be filled in the
manner provided by or under any Jaw for the time being in force
in Malta.
Determinalion 0( questions as to membership
64. Any question whether -
(a ) any person has been validly elected as a member of
the House of Representatives;
(b) any member of th e House has vacated his seat therein
or is required, under the provisions of subsection (2 ) of section
56 of this Constitution, to cease to perform his functions as a
member; or
(c) any perso n has been validly elected as Speaker from
among persons wh o are not members of the House or, having
been so elccted, has vacated th e office of Speaker,
shaH be referred to and de termined by the Constitutional Court in
accorda nce with the provisions of any law for the time being in force
in Malta, and the detennination by the Constitutional Court of any
such question shall be final.
Clerk 10 House of Representatives and his staff
65.- (1) There shall be a Clerk to the House of Representatives.
(2) T he office of the Clerk to the House of Representatives
and the offices of the membe rs of his staff shaH be public offices.
PART 2
Pou!ers alld Procedure of Parliamelll
Power 10 make laws
" .- (1 ) Subject to the provisions of th is Constitut ion, Parlia·
ment may make laws for the peace, order and good government of
Malta.
(2) Without pre judice to the generality of subsect io n (I)
::md subject to the provisions of subsections (3), (4) and (S) of this
seClion, Pa rli ament may by law determi ne Ihe privileges, im mu nities
an d powers of the House of Representa tives llnd t he members
thereof.
(3 ) No civil or crimi nal proceedings may be instituled
against any member of the House of Representatives for words
spoken before, or writte n in a report to, the House or a comm ittee
thereof or by reason of any matter or thing brought by him there in
by petition, bill, resoiut;on, mo tion or oth erwise.
(4) For the duration of :!ny session members of the House
of Rl'prestntath'es shall enjor freedom from ar rest for any ch'i] de bt
except a debt the contractIon of which constitutes a criminal
offence.
(5) No process iss ued by any court in the exercise of its
civil jurisdiction shall be served or executed within the precinc ts
of the House of Represen tatives while t he House is sitting or through
the Speaker, the Clerk or a ny oflicer of the House.
Alteration of rh is Constitution
67. (1 ) Subject to the provisions of this section, Parliament
may alter any of the provisions of t his Constitution or (in so far as
it forms part of the law of Mlllu) any of t he provisions of the Malta
Inde pendence Act 1964.
(2) In so far as it alte rs -
(a) .s«tion 5. sections 3J to 48 (inclusive), sections 57,61.
62, subsection (3) of section 66, sections 92, % (other than sub-
section (2) thereoO, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 105 to 113 (inclusive),
116. 11 7, 121 or 122 of th is Constitution; or
.
(b) section 10) of th is Constitution at any time within five
years from t he appointed day; or
(c) sect ion 126 of th is Constit ut ion in its applica tion to
any of the provisions specified in paragraph. (0) or, subject to
the limitation the rei n contai ned, para graph (b) of this subsection,
a bill for an Act of Parliament unde r th is section shall no t be passed
in the House of R ep r ~sentat ives un less at the final voting the reon in
t hat House it is supported by tbe votes of not less than two-thirds
of all the members of the House.
()
In so far as it alte rs -
(a) th is section;
(b) sections 2: 3, 4. 49,52, 58, subsection (2) of section 76.
section 77, section 78, subsection (I) of section 79, section 8 1.
and subsectio n (2) of section 96 of this Constitution;
(c) section 126 of this Constitutio n in its application to any
of the provisio ns specified in paragraph (a) or (b ) of this sub-
section; or
(d) any of the provisions of the Malta Independence
Act 1964,
a bill for an Act of Parliament under th is section shall not be
presented to the Governor-General for his assent unless not less
than three nor more than six mo nths after its passage through the
House in the Illanner specified in subsectio n (2) of this section it has
been submitted to the electors qualifi ed to vote for the election of
mem bers of the House of Representatives and the majority of the
electors voting hilve approved the bill.
(4) T he provisions of section 57(3) of th is Constitution
shall apply to the voting on a bill s ubmitted to the electors under
subsection (J) of this section as t hey apply to voting at t he election
of members of the House of Represen tatives. and subject as afore-
said the vote on such a bill shall be taken in such mann er as Pa rl ia·
Illent may prescribe.
(5) In so far as it alters any of the provisions of this Con-
stitutio n oth er than th ose specified in subsections (2) and (3) of
th is section or, after five years from the appointed day, section 103 of
this Constitution. a bill for an Act of Parliament under this section
shall not be passed in the House of Representatives unless at the
final voting thereon in that House it is supported by the votes of a
majority of all the members of the House.
(6) An Act of Parliament altering the number of members
of the House of Representatives shall not affect the membership of
the House before the dissolution of Parliamentt next following its
enactment.
In this section -
(7)
references to any of the prOV1SIons of th is Constitu-
(a)
tion or of the Malta Independence Act 1964 include references
to any law that amends or replaces that provision; and
(b) references to the al teration of any of the provisions
of this Constitution or of the Malta Independence Act 1964 in-
clude references to the amendment, modification or re-enact-
ment, v.ith or without amendment or modification, of that pro-
vision, the suspension or repeal of that provision and the makinl!,
ofa different provision in lieu of that provision.
Regulation of procedure in House of Representatives
".- Il ) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the
House of Representatives may regulate its own procedure.
(2) The House of Represen tatives may act notwithstand-
ing any vacancy in its membership (including any vacancy not filled
when the H ouse first meets on or alter the appointed day or after
any dissolut ion of Parliament) and the presence or participat ion of
any person not entitled to be present at or to participate in the pro-
ceedings of the House shall not invalidate those proceedings.
(3) Any provision made in pursuance of subsect ion (I) of
this section for setting up Committees of the House to enquire into
matters of general public impOrtance shall be designed to secure
that, so far as appears practicable to the House. any such Committee
is so COinposed as fairly to represent the House.
Oath to be taken by members of House of Represe71tatives
69. No member of the House of Representatives shall be per-
mitted 10 take part in the proceedings of the House (other than pro-
ceedinRS necessary for the purposes of Ihis section) until he has t aken
and subscribed before the House the oath of allegiance
Provided that the election of the Speaker and Deputy
Speaker may lake place before the members of the House have
taken and su bscribed such oath.
Presiding in House of Representatives
70.-0) There shall preside at any sitting of the House of Re·
presentatives -
(a ) the Speaker; or
(b) in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker; or
(c) in Ihe absence of the Spea ker and the Deputy Speaker.
such member of the House (not being a Minister or a Parlia·
mentary Secretary) as the House may elect for that purpose.
(2) References in thi5 5ection to circumstances in which
the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker is absent include references to
circumstances in wh ich the oHice of Speaker or Deputy Speaker is
vacant.
Quorum in House o( RepresentatIVes
7 1.- (1) If at any sitting of the House of Representatives any
member who is present draws the attention of t he person presiding
at the Sitting ('0 the absence of a quorum and, aft~r such interval as
may be prescribed in the Standing Orders of the House, the person
presiding at the sitting ascertains that a quorum of the House i:;
still no t present, the House shall be ad journed ,
(2) For the purposes of this section -
(a) a quoru m of the House of Representatives shall con-
sist of fifteen members; and
(b) the person presiding at the Sitting of the House shaH
not be included in reckoning whet her there is a quo rum present.
Voting
72.- (1 ) Save as otherwise provided in this Constitution, all
questions proposed for decision in the House of Representatives
shall be determi ned by a ma jority of the votes of the members there-
of present and vo ting.
(2) T he Speaker shall not vote unless on any ques tion the
votes arc equally divided. in which case he shall have and exercise
a casting vote.
(3) Any other perwn shall. when presiding in the House
of Representatives. retain h;s original vote as a member and, if
upon any question. the votes arc equally divided, shaH also have and
exercise a casting vote.
Mode 0( exercising legislative powers
13.- (1 ) T he power of Parliament to make laws shall be exer·
cised by bills passed by the House of Representatives and assented
10 by the Governor-General.
(2) When a bill is presented to the Governor-General, for
assent, he shaH without delay signify that he assents.
(3) A bill shall not become law unless it has been duly
passed and asse nted to in accordance with this Constitution.
(4) When a law has been assented to by the Governor-
General it shal1 wi thout delay be published in the Gazette and shal1
not come into operation until it has been so published. but Parlia·
men t may postpone the coming into operation of any such law and
may make laws with ret rospective effect.
Restriction with regard to ceftain financial measures
74. Except upon the recommendation of the Governor-General
signified by a Minister. the House of Representatives shall not -
proceed upon any bill (including any amend ment to
(a)
a bill) that, in the opinion of t he person presiding, makes pro-
vision for any of the following purposes, that is to say. for im-
posing or increasing any tax, for imposing or increasing any
charge a ll the revenues or other funds of Mal ta or [or al tering
any such charge otherwise tha n by reducing it, or for com-
pounding or rtmitling any debt due to Malta ;
(b) proceed upon any motion (including any amendment
t o a motion) the effect of which, in the opinion of the person
presidin~, would be to make provision for any of the purposes
aforesaid; or
(c ) receive any petition which, in the opinion of the per-
son presiding, requests that provision be made for any of the
purposes aforesaid.
Long/lagc of Laws
75. Save as otherwise provided by Parliamcnt, every law shall
be enacted in both the Maltese and English languages and, if there
is any conflict between the Maltese and the English texts of any law,
the Maltese text shall prevail.
PARr 3
SUm'IJoning, prorogation and dissolution
SessiO'/S of Parliament
76. (1) Each session of Parliament shall be held at such place
\\ithin Malta and shall conunence at such time as the Governor·
General may by proclamation appoint.
(2) There shall Ix- J. scssion of Parliament once at least
in every year. so that a period of twelve mon ths shall not intervene
between the last sitting of Parlia ment in one session and the tirst
si tting thereof in the next session.
(3) The House of Representatives shall meet not later
than two months after the pu blication of the official result of any
ge neral elect ion by the Electoral Commission on a day appointed by
the Governor·General.
Prorogation and dissolution 0/ Parliameut
77.- H) The Governor·General may at any time by procla.
ma tion prorogue or dissolve Parliament.
Subject to the provisions of subsection 0) of this
(2)
section, Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five
years from the date of its first sitting after any dissolution and shall
then stand dissolved.
(3) At any time when Malta is at war. Parliament may
from time to time e ... tend the period of five years specified in sub-
section (2) of this section for not more thall twelve months at a
time
Provided that the life of Parliament shall not be extended
under this subsection fOI' more thall live years.
(4) If between a dissolution of Parliament and the next
ensuing general election of members of the House of Representati ves
an emergency arises of such a nature that, in the opinion of the
Prime Minister it is necessary to recall Parliament, the Governor-
General- may by proclamation summOn the Parliament that has been
dissolved to meet, and that Parliament shall thereupon be deemed
(except for the purpo~e of section 78 and, in relation to the next
ensuing general election, sections 62(3) and 67(6) of this Constitu-
tion) not to have heen dissolved but shall be deemed (except as
aforesaid) to be dissolved on tbe date on which tbe polls are con-
cluded in the next ensuing general election.
(5) In the exercise of his powers under this section the
Governor-General shall act in accordance with the advice of the
Prime Minister;
Provided that-
(a) if the House of Representatives passes a resolution,
supported by the votes of a majority of all the members thereot,
that it has no confidence in the Government, and the Prim ~
Minister does not within three days either resign from his office
or advise a dissolution, the Governor-General may dissolve
Parliament;
(h) if the office of Prime Minister is vacant and the
Governor-General considers that there is no prospect of his
being able within a reasonable time to appoint to that office a
person who can comma nd the support of a majority of the mem-
bers of the House of Representatives, the Governor-General may
dissolve Parliament; and
(c) if the Prime Minister recommends a dissolution and
the Governor-General considers that the Government of Malta
can be carried on without a dissolution and that a dissol ution
would not be in the interests of Malta, the Governor-General·
may refuse to dissolve Parliament.
General elections
78. A general election of members of the House of Representa-
tives shall be held at such time within three months after every
dissolution of Parliament as the Governor-General, acting in accor-
dance with the advice of the Prime Minister, shall by proclamation
appoint.
CHAPTER V II
THE EXECUTIVE
Etecu.til"e authorllY of_~fa/la
79_ (1) The executive
authority of Malta is vested in Her
Majesty.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the
executive authority of Malta. may be exercised on behalf of Her
Majesty by the Governor-General either directly or through officers
subordinate to him.
(3) Nothing in this section shall prevent Parliament from
confening fimctions on persons or authorities other than the Gover-
nor-General.
The Cabinet
80.-(1) T here shall be a Cabinet for Malta which shall con-
sist of the Prime Minister and such num ber of other Ministers as
may be appointed in accordance with section 81 of this Constitution.
(2) The Cabinet shall have the general direc tion and
control of the Government of Malta and shall be collectively
responsible therefor to Parl iament.
Appointment of Ministers
81. Wherever th ere shall be occasion for the appointment of a
Prime Minister, the Governor-General shall appoint as Prime Minister
the member of the House of Representatives who, in his judgment,
is best able to command the support of iI majority of the members
of that House and shall, actmg in accordance with the advice of the
Prime Minister, appoint the other Ministers from among the members
of the House of Representatives
Provided that if occasion arises for making an appointme nt to
the office of Prime Minister or any other Minister while Parliament
is dissolved, a person who was a member of the House of Representa-
tives immediately before th e dissolu tion may be appointed as Prime
Minister or any other Minister as if, in each case, such person were
still a member of t he House of Representatives, but any person so
appointed shall vacate office at the beginning of the next session
of Parliament if he is not then a member thereof.
Tenure of office of Ministers
82.-(1) If the House of Representatives passes a resolution,
supported by the votes of a majority of all the members thereof.
that it has no confidence in the Government, the Governor-General
may remove the Prime Minister from office
Provided that th e Governor-General shall not do so unless
three davs have elapsed and he has decided not to dissolve Parlia-
me,Governor-GeneraI7 of this Constitution.
(2) The office of Prime M inis ter shall also become vacant-
(a) when. after any dissolution of Parliament, the Prime
Minister is informed by the Governor-General that the Governor-
General is about to re·appoint him as Prime Minister or to
appoint another person as Prime Minister;
(h) if he ceases to be a member of the House of Repre-
sentatives otherwise than by a dissolution of Parliament; or
(c) if, under the provisions of subsection (2) of section 56
of this Constitution, he is required to cease to perform his func-
tions as a member of the House of Representatives_
(3) The office of a Minister, other than the office of Prime
Minister, shall become vacant -
(a) upon the appolnlment or re-appointment of any person
to t he office of Prime Minister;
if his appointment to his office is revoked by the
(b)
Governor-General, acting in accordance wi th the advice of the
Prime Minister;
(c) if he ceases to be a member of the House of Represen-
tatives otherwise than by a dissol ution of Parliament; or
(cl) if, under t he provisions of subsection (2) of section 56
of this Constitution, he is required to cease to perform his func-
tions as a mem ber of the House of Representatives.
Allocation of portfolios to Mi'lislers
83.- {I) Subject to the provisions of this Constitu tio n, the
Govemor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime
Ministe r, may, by di rections in writing, assign to the Prime Minister
or any other Minister responsibility for any business of the Govern·
ment of Mal ta including the administration of any department of
government.
(2) Nothing in th is section shall empower the Governor-
General to confer on any Ministe r authority to exercise any power
or to discharge any duty that is conferred or imposed by this Con-
stitution or any other law on any person or authority other than that
Minister.
Acting Prime .i\finisler
84. (1) Whenever the Prime :Minister is unable, by reason of
his illness or absence from Malta, to perform the functions of his
office. the Governor-General may au thorise any other member of
the Cabinet to perform t hose functions (other than the functions
conferred by this section) and that member may perfonn those func-
tions un til his authority is revoked by the Governor-General.
(2) The powers of the Governor-General under th is sec-
tion shall be exerCIsed by him in accordance with the advice of the
Prime Minister
Provided that if the Governor-General considers that it is
impracticable to obtain the advice of the Prime Minister owing to
his absence or illness he may exercise those powers withou t that
advice.
Temporary M inisters
8S..-{\) Whenever a Minister other than the Prime Minister
is unable, by reason of his illness or absence from Malta, to perform
the fu nctions of his office. the Governor-General may appoin t another
member of the House of Representatives to be a temporary Minister
Provided that if occasion arises for maki ng an appointment
while Parliament is dissolved, a perso n who, immediately before the
dissolution, was a me mber of the House of Representatives may be
appointed as a temporary Minister as if he were still a member of
that House, but any person so appointed shall vacate office at thl'.
beginning of the next session of Parliamen t if he is not t hen a mem-
ber thereof.
(2) Subject to the provisions of section 82 of this Consti-
tution. a temoorary Minister shall hold office until he is notified by
the Governor-General that the Minister on account of whose inabili-
ty to perform the functions of his office he was appointed is again
able to perform those functions or until that Minister vacates his
office.
(3) The powers of the Governor-General under this section
shall be exerCised by him in accc>rdance with the advice of the Prime
Minister.
Exercise of functions of Governor-General
86.- (1) In the exercise of his functions the Governor-General
shall act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or a Minister
acting under the general authority of the Cabinet except in cases
where he is required by this Constitution or any other law to act in
accordance with the advice of any person or au thority other than
the Cabinet
Provided that the Governor-General shall act in accordance
with his own deliberate judgment in the performance of the follow-
ing functions -
(a) in the exercise of the powers relating t o the dissolu·
tion of Parliament conferred upon him by the proviso to sub-
section (5) of sect ion 77 of this Constitution;
(b) in the exercise of t he power to appoint the Prime
Minister or remove the Prime Minister from office conferred
upon him by section 81 and subsection (l) of section 82 of this
Constitution;
(c) in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by
section 84 of this Constitution (which relates to the oerformance
of the functions of the Prime Minister during absence or iIhless)
in the circumstances described in the proviso to subsection (2)
of that section;
(d) in the exercise of the power to appoint the Leader of
the Opposition and to revoke any such appointment conferred
upon him by section 91 of this Constitution; and
(e) in signifying his approval for the furposes of subsec·
tion (4) of section 113 of this Constitution 0 an appointment to
an office on his personal staff.
(2) Where by th is Constitution the Governor-General is
required to act in accordance with the advice of any J'erson or
aut hority, the question whether he has in any case receive, or acted
in accordance with, such advice shaH not be enquired into in any
court.
The reference in subsection (I) of this section to the
(3)
functions of the Governor-General shall be construed as a reference
to his powers and duties in the exercise of the executive authority
of M!"lta and to any other powers and duties conferred or imposed
on him as Governor-General by or under this Constitution or any
other law.
Exercise of Pn'me Minister's functions
87.-(1) Where by this Constitution the Prime Minister is re-
quired to exercise any function on the recommendation of any person
or authority he shall exercise that function in accordance with such
recommendation
Provided that -
before he acts in accordance therewi th he may once
(a)
refer that recommendation back for reconsideration by the per-
son or authority concerned ; and
(b ) if that person or aut hority. baving reconsidered the
original recomme ndation under the preceding ·paragraph, sub-
stitutes therefor a different recommendation, the provisions of
this subsection shall apply to that different recommendation as
they apply to the original recommendation.
(2) Where by this Constitution the Prime Minister is
requ ired to perform any function after consultation with any per-
son or authority, he shall not be obliged to perform that function
in accordance with the advice of that person or authority.
(3) Where by this Constitution the Prime Minister is
required to perform any function in accordance with the recom-
mendation of, or after consultation with, any person or authority,
the question whe ther he has in any case received, or ac ted in ac-
cordance with such recommendation or whet her he has consulted
with such person or aut hority shall not be enquired into in any
court,
Governor-General f() be informed concerning matters of government
88. The Prime :Minister shall keep the Governor-General fully
informed concerning the general conduct of the government of
Malta and shaH furnish the Governor-General with such informa-
tion as he may requestst with respect to any particular matter re-
lating to the government of Malta.
Parliamentary Secretaries
89.- (1) The Governor- General~ acting in accordance with the
advice of the Prime Minister, may appoint Parliamentary Secre·
taries from among the members of the House of Representatives to
assist Ministers in the performance of their duties;
Provided t hat if occasion arises for making an appoi nt-
men t while Parliament is dissolved, a person who immediately
before the dissolution was a member of the House of Representa-
tives may be appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary as if he were
st ill a member of that House, but any person so appointed shall
vacate office at the beginning of the next session of Parliament if
he is no t t hen a member thereof.
(2) The provisions of subsection (3) of section 82 of this
Constitution shall apply to Parliamentary Secretaries as they apply
to Ministers.
Oaths f() be taken by the .il.finister
90. A :Minister or a Parliamentary Sectretary shall not enter
upon the duties of his office unless he has taken and subscribed the
oath of allegiance and such oath for the due execution of his office
as may be prescribed by any law for the time being in force in
Leader of the Opposition
91.-(1) There shall be a Leade r of the Opposition who shall
be appointed by the Governor-General.
Whenever there shalJ be occasion for the appoin t-
(2)
ment of a Leader of the Opposition. the Governor-General shan
appoint -
(a) if the re is onc opposition party whose numerical
strength in the House of Re presentatives is greater than the
strength of any other oppositIon party, the member of the
House of Representatives who is the Leader of that party; or
(b ) if, by reason of an equality in the numerical snengt h
of t he opposition parties in the HOllse or by reason that there
is no opposition party, no person is qualified for appoi ntment
under paragraph (a) of Ihis subsection, the member of the
House who, in the judgment of the Govemor-General, com-
mands the support of the la rgest single group of me mbers of
the House in OPIXIsition to the Government who are prepared
to supIXIrt one leader_
(J) The office of Leader of the Opposition shall become
vacant -
(a) if aft er any dissolution of Parliament, he is informed
by t he Govemor-General that the Govemor-General is about
to appoint anot her person as Leader of the Opposition;
(b) if he ceases to be a member of t he House of Repre-
sentatives otherwise than by a dissolution of Parliament;
(c) if, under the provisions o f subsection (2) of section
56 of this Constitution, he is req uired to cease to perform his
functions as a me.'1lber of the House of Represe nta tives; or
(d) if his apIXIintment is revoked under t he prov isions
of subsection (4) of this sect ion.
(4) If, in t he judgment of the Govemor-General, a memo
ber of the House of Representatives other than the Leader of the
Opposition, has become the Leader in the House of the opposition
party having the greatest numerical st rength in the House or, as the
case may be, the Leader of the Opposition has ceased to corn·
mand the support of the largest Single group of members in op posi-
tion to the Government, the Govemor-General shall revoke the ap-
pointment of the Leader of the Opposition.
(5) Subsection (4) of t his section sha11 not have effect
wh ile Parliament is dissolved.
crown Ach'ocate-General
92.- (1) There shali be 1I Crown Advocate-General whose
office sha11 be a public office and who shall be ap pointed by the
Govemor-General ac ting in accordance with the advice of the Prime
Minister.
(2) A person shall not be qualified to hold office as Crown
Advocate-General unless he is Qualified for appoi ntmen t as a judge
of the Superior Courts.
(3 ) In the exercise of his powers to institute, undertake
and discontinue criminal proceedings and of any other poowers con_
fe rred on him by any law in terms which authorise him to exercise
that power in his individual judgment the Crown Advocate-General
shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or
authority.
(4) Subject to the provisions of subsection (5) of this sec-
tion, the Cro\'ll Advocate-General shall vacate his office when he
attains the age of sixty years.
(5) Subsections (2) and (3) of section 98 of t his Constit u-
tion shall apply to the Cro\\ll Advocate-General.
Permanent Secretaries and heads 0/ government departments
93.-(1) Where any Minister has been charged with responsibi-
li ty for any department of government. he shall e:o.:ercise general
directio n and control over that depart me nt: and, .subject to such
direction and control, the de partment may be under the supervision
of a Pennanent Secretary
Provided th at two or more departments of government may
be placed under the superv ision of one Permanen t Secretary.
(2) The Prime Minister shall be responsible for assigni ng
departments of government to Permanent Secretaries.
(J) Power to appoin t public officers to hold or ac t in the
office of Pennanent Secretary and to remove from office per50ns
holding or acting in such office shall vest in the Governor-General_
acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister given
after the Prime Minister has consulted with the Public Service Com-
mission.
(4) Heads of departme nts of government other than t hose
whose manner of appointment is specifically provided for in th is
Constitution shall be appoi nted from amongs t senior public officer<>
by the Prime Minister acting after consultation with the Public
Serv ice Commission.
Prerogative of mercy
94.- (1 ) The Governor-General may, ill Her Majesty's Ilame
and on Her Majesty's behalf-
(a ) grant to any person concerned in or convicted of any
offence a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions;
(b) grant to any person a res pite. either indefi nite or for
a specified period, of the executio n of any sentence passed on
that person for any offence;
(c) substitute a less severe form of punishmen t for any
punishment imposed on any person for any offence; or
(d) re mit the whole or part of any sentence passed on any
per50n for an offence or for any penalty or forfeiture otherwise
due to the State on account of any offence.
(2) (a) Where any person has been sentenced to death by
any court in Malta, the Governor-General shall cause a written report
of the case from the trial judge, or, in the case of a court-martial the
person presiding, and such other information der illed from the record
of the case or elsewhere as the Governor-General may require. to be
sent to the Minister responsible for justice.
(b) The said Minister shall send such written report and
information (if any) to the Cabinet. and the Cabinet shall
advise the Governor-General whethe r he should grant the offen-
der a pardon or respite in the exercise of the powers conferred on
him by th is section.
Secretary to the Cabinet
95,- (1) There shall be a Secretary to the Cab inet who shall be
a public officer designated in that behalf by the Prime Minister.
(2) The Secretary to the Cabinet shan be responsi ble. in
accorda nce ..... ith such instructions as may be Itiven to him by the
Prime Minister, lor arraniing the business for, and keepinlt the
minu tes of, the meet i n~s 0 the Cabinet and for conveyill1t the deci-
sions of the Cabinet to the appropriate person or au t hority. and shall
have such other functions as the Prime Minister may from ti me to
time direct.
C HAPTER VIlI
THE JUDICIAR Y
P ART I
Courts
Superior Courts
96. (1) There shall be in and for Malta such Superior Courts
having such powe rs and jurisdiction as may be provided by any law
for t he time being in force in Malta.
(2) One of the Superior Courts, composed of the Chief
Justice and four other judges of the Superior Courts. shall be kn own
as the Constit ut ional Court and shall have jur isdiction to hear and
dete rmi ne -
(a) such questions as are referred to in section 64 of this
Constitution;
(b) appeals from decisions of the Civil Court. First Hall.
under section 47 of this Constit ution;
(c) appeals from decisions of any court of original juris·
diction in Malta on questians as to t he inte rpreta tion of this
Constitution ot her than t hose which may fall under section 47
of th is Constitution: and
(d) appeals from decisions of any court of original juris-
diction in Malta o n questions as to the validity of laws o ther
t han those which may fall under section 47 of this Constitution
Provided tha t if any such question as is referred to in para·
graph (e) or (d) of this subsection arises for the fi rst time in proceed·
ings in a court of appellate jurisdiction, that court shall refer the
question to the court which gave the original decision. unless in its
opinion the I1l1smg of the question is merely frivolous or vexatious.
and that court shall give its decision on any such question and,
sub ject to any appe al in accordance with t he provisions of this sub-
section and of section 103(2) of this Constitution, the court in which
the question arose shall dispose of the question in accordance with
that decision.
The provisions of subsections (6) and (7 ) of section 47
(3)
of this Constitution shaH appl y to th e! Constitutional Court and for
that purpose references to th at section in the said subsections shall
be construed as references to this section .
(4) T he judges of the Superior Courts shall be a Chief
rustice and such number of other judges as may be prescribed by
any law for the t ime being in force in Malta
Provided that th e office of a judge of the Superior Courts
shall not, without his consent, be abolished during his continuance
in office.
(5) The Chief Just ice shall be the President of the Con-
stitutional Court, and there shall be a Vice-President of the Court,
who shall be appointed from among the other judges of the Superior
Courts in such manner as may be provided by law; and the! Vice!-
President shall among those judges take precedence next to the Chief
Justice.
(6) If the Chief Justice is precluded by law from perform-
ing the functions of P resident of tne Constitutional Court or is
otherwise tmable to perform those functions, those functions shall
be performed by the Vice-President.
(7) If the office of Vice-President is vacant or if the Vice-
President is for any reason unable to perform the functio ns of his
office, those functions shan be performed by sucn one of the other
judges of the Superior Courts as may be designated in tnat behalf in
such manner as may be provided by law.
Appointment of iudges
97.-(l) T he Judges of the Superior Courts shall be appointed
by the Governor-General acting in accordance with the advice of the
Prime Minis ter.
(2 ) A person shall not be qualified to be appointed a judge
of the Superior Courts unless for a period of, or periods amounting
in the aggregate to, not less than twelve years he has either practised
as an advocate in Malta or served as a magist rate in Malta, or has
partly so practised and partly so served,
Tenure of office of judges
" .- (1 ) Subject to the provisions of this section. a judge of the
Superior Courts shall vacat e his office when he attains the age of
sixty-five years,
(2) A judge of the Superior Courts shall not be removed
from his office except by the Governor-General upon an address by
the House of Representatives supported by the votes of not less than
two-thirds of all the members thereof and pray ing for such removal
on the ground of proved inability to perform the functions of his
office (whether arising from infirmity of body or mind or any ntner
cause) or proved misbehaviour.
(3) Parliament may by law regulate the procedure for the
presentation of an address and for the investigation and proof of t he
inability or misbehaviour of a judge of the Superior Courts under
the provisions of the last preceding subsection .
A ct ing Chief Justice and acting ;udge$
99.- (1) If the office of Chief Just ice is vacant or if the Chief
Justice is for any reason unable to perform the functions of his office,
then, until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the
functions of that office or until the Chief Justice has resumed those
functions , as the case may be, those functions shall (except to such
eJ{tent, if any, as other provisio n is made by law) be performed by
such one of the other judges of the Superior Courts as may be de-
signated in that behalf by the Govemor-General, acting in accor-
dance with the advice of the Prime Minister.
(2) If the offite of any judge of the Superior Courts (other
than t he Chief Justice) is vacan t or if any such judge is appointed to
act as Chief' ust ice or is for any reason unable to perform the func-
tions of his office, the Govemor-Gellera1, acting in accordance with
the advice of the Prime Minister, may appoint a person qualified for
appointment as a judge of the Superior Courts to act as a judge of
those Courts
P rovided that a person may be so appointed notwithstand-
ing that he has attained the age of sixty-five years.
(3) Any person appoin ted under subsection (2) of this
section to act as a judge of the Superior Courts shall continue so to
act for the period of his appointment or, if no such period is speci-
fied, until his appointment is revoked by the Govemor-General act-
ing in accordance with the adv ice of the Prime Minister.
Inferior Courts
100. There shall be in and for Malta such inferior courts having
such powers and jurisdiction as may be provided by any law for the
time being in force in Malta.
Magistrates
101.- (\\ Magistrates of the inferior courts shall be appointed
by the Govemor-General acting in accordance with the advice of the
Prime Minister,
(2) A person shall not be qualified to be appointed t o or to
act in the office of magistrate of the inferior courts unless he has
practised as an advocate in Malta for a period of, or periods amount-
ing in the aggregate to, not less than seven years.
(3) Subject 10 Ihe provisions of subsection (4) of this sec-
tion, a magistrate of the inferior courts shall vacate his office when
he attains the age of sixty years.
(4) T he provisions of subsections (2) and (3) of section 98
of this Constitution shall apply to magistrates of the inferio r courts.
Oaths to be taken by judges and magistrates
102. A judge of the Superior Courts or a magistrate of t he
inferior courts shall not enter upon the duties of his office unless he
has taken and subscribed the oath of allegiance and such oat h for the
due execution of his office as may be prescribed by any law for t he
time being in force in Malta.
PA RT
Appeals
Appeals to Her Majesty in Council
103. (1 ) An appeal shall lie from decisions of the Court of
Appeal to Her Majesty in Council as of right in the following cases -
(a) where the matter in dispute on the appeal to Her
Majesty in Council is of the value of five hundred pounds or up-
wards or where the appeal involves direc t ly orindirectly a claim
to or question respect ing property or a righ t of the value of five
hundred pounds or upwards, final decisions in any civil pro-
ceedings; and
(b ) such other cases as may be prescribed by Parliament.
(2) Subject to the provisions of section 64 of this Con·
stitu tion, an appeal shall lie from decisions of the Const itutional
Court to Her Majesty in Council as of right.
(3 ) An appeal shall lie from decisions of the Court of
Appeal to He r Majesty in Council with the leave of the Court of
Appeal in the foll owing cases -
(a) where in the opinion of the Court of Appeal the ques·
t ion involved in the appeal is one that, by reason of its great
general or public importance or otherwise, ought to be subm itted
to Her Majesty in Council, decisions in any civil proceedings;
"d
(b) such other cases as may be prescribed by Parliament,
(4) Nothing in this section shall affect any right of H er
Majesty to grant s pecial leave to appeal fr om dec isions of the
Court of Appeal or the Criminal Court to Her Maj esty in Council
in any civil, criminal or other matters.
Appeals from Superior Couns in criminal marrers
104. (1) As from such date as may be prescribed bv law. not
being later than three years aft er the appo inted day, there shall be
a righ t of appeal to a Superior Court against any judgement, other
th an a judgmen t of acquittal, of any Superior Court gI ven in its
original jurisdiction in any criminal matter.
(2) Any such right of appeal shall be exercisable in ac·
cordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by law.
CHA1"l'IlR IX
FIN ANCE
Consolidated Fund
10S.--( 1) All revenues and other moneys raised or received by
Malta (not being revenues or other moneys payable into some other
fund, being a fund established by or under any law for the time
being in force in Malta for a specific purpose) shall, unless Parlia-
ment ot herwise provides, be paid into and form onc Consolidaled
Fund.
(2) No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated
Fund except to meet expenditu re that is charged upon the Fund
by th is Constitution or any other law for the time being in force
in MaIta or where t he issue of those moneys has been authorised
by an Appropriation Act or under section 107 of this Constitution .
(3) No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund
other than the ConsoHdated Fund unless the issue of those moneys
has been authorised by or unde r any law for the time being in
force in Malta.
(4) No moneys shaH be withdrawn from the Consolidated
Fund or any other public fund except in the manner prescribed
by or under any la w.
(5) T he costs, charges and expenses incidental t o the
collection and management of the Consolidated Fund shaH be a
charge on tne Fund.
Authorisation 0{ expenditure from Consolidated Fund
106.---{B The Minister responsible for finance shall cause to be
prepared and laid before the House of Representatives before, or
not later than thirty days after, the commencement of each fina n,
cial year estimates of the revenues and expenditure of Malta for
that year.
(2) T he heads of expendit ure contained in the estimates
(o ther t han expenditure charged upon the Consolidated Fund by
this Constitut ion or any other law for the t ime being in force in
Malta) shan he included in a bill, to be known as an appropriatio n
bill, providing for t he issue from the Consolidated Fund of t he
sums necessary to meet that expenditure and the appro priation of
those sums for the purposes specified therein.
(3) If in respect of any financial year it is found -
(a) that the amount appropriated by the Appropriation
Act for any purpose is insufficient, or that a need has arisen
for expenditure for a purpose for which no amount has been
appropriated by that Ac t; or
(b ) that any moneys have been expended for any purpose
in excess of the amount (if any) appropriated l or the purpose
by that Act,
a supplementary estimate showing the sums required or spent shall
be laid before t he House of Representatives and the heads of any
such expenditure shall be included in a supplementary appropria·
tion bill.
Authorisation of expenditure befo re appropriation
107. Parliamen t may make provision under which. if the App ro-
priation Act in res pect of any fi nancial year has not come into
operation by the beginning of that fi nancial year. the Ministe r res·
ponsible for fi nance may authorise t he withdrawal of moneys from
the Consolidated Fund for the purpose of meeting such eltpenditure
as he may consider necessary to carry on the government of Malta
until the eXpiration of four months from t he beginning of that fi ·
nancial year or the coming into operation of the Act. whichever is
the earlier.
Contingencies Fund
108.- (1) Parliament may provide for th.e establishment of a
Contingencies Fund and fo r authorising t he Minister responsible for
finance, if he is satisfied tha t there has arisen an urgent and unfore·
seen need for eltpenditure for which no other provision exists, to
mak e advances from that Fund to meet that need.
(2) Where any ad vance is made in accordance with sub-
section (I) of this section a supplementary estimate shall be presem·
ed and a supplementary appropriation bill shall be introduced as
soon as practicable for the purpose of reptacing the amount so
advanced.
Public debt
11t9.--(1) The public debt of Malta shall be a charge upon the
Consolidated Fund and other public funds of Malta.
(2) In this section references to the public debt of Malta
include references to the interest on t hat debt, sinking fund pay·
ments and redemption moneys in respect of that debt and t he COSfl;,
charges and expenses incidental to the management of that debt.
Remuneration o/Governor·General and cenain other officers
11 0.- (1) There shall be paid to the holders of the orfices to
which this section applies such salaries as may be prescribed by I)r
under any law.
(2) The salaries and any allo wances payable to the holders
of the offices 10 which t his section applies shall be a charge on the
Consolidated Fund.
(3) T he salary payable to the holder of any office to which
this section applies and his terms of office, other tha n allowances.
shall not be altered to his disad va ntage after his appoi ntment, and .
.for the purposes of t his subsection, in so far as t he salary or the
terms of service of any person ~ epend upon the pption of that per·
son, the salary or terms for which he opts shall be deemed to be
more advantageous to him than any others for which he might have
opted.
(4) This section applies to the offices referred to ill sec·
tions 49,92, 96(4),101,111 and 112 of this Constitituion.
Director of A udit
11 1.--(1) There shall be a Director of Audit for Malta, whose
office shall be a pubtic office and who shaH be appointed by the
Governor-General acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime
Minister.
(2) Subject to th e provisions of subsection (4) of this sec-
tion, the Director of Audit shall vacate his office when he attains the
age of sixty years.
(3) Subsections (2 ) and (3) of section 98 of this Constitu·
tio n shall apply to the Director of Aud it.
(4) The accounts of all departments and offices of the
Government of Malta, includ inl: the office of the P ublic Service Corn.
mission, and the office of the Clerk to the House of Representatives,
and of all Superior and Inferior Courts in Mal ta shall be aud ited and
reported on annuallf by the Director of Aud it and· for that purpose
th e Director of AudIt or any person authorised by him in tha t behalf
shall have access to all books, rtcords, retur ns and other documents
rel aling to th ose accounts.
(5) The Director of Aud it s hall submit his reports made
under subsection (4) of this section to the Minister responsible for
finance, who shall cause them to be laid before the House of Repre-
sentatives within th irty days of the receipt th ereof by him, or, if the
House of Representat ives is not sittinR, within th irty days of the
commencement of the nex t sittinR of the House of Representatives.
(6) [f the Minister fai ls to [ay any reports before the
House of Representatives in accordance with subsection (5) of th is
section, the Director of Audit shall. forthwith on the expiration of
the period mentioned in the said subsection, transmit copies of such
reports to the Speaker of the House of Representatives (or, if the
office of Speaker is vacant or the SpeakH is for any reason unable
to perform the functions of his office, to the Deputy Speaker) who
shall, as soon as practicable. Jay them before the House of Represen-
tatives.
(7) In the exercise of his func tions under the provisions of
subsect ions (4) and (5) of this section the Director of Aud it shall not
be subject to th e direct ion or control of any other person or
au th ority.
(8) NothinR in this section shall prevent the performance
by the Director of A udit of -
(a) such other functions in relation to the accounts of the
Government of Malta and t he accounts of other public author i-
ties and other bodies adminis tering public funds in Malta as may
be prescribed by or under any law for the time beinJit in force in
Malta: or
(b) such other functions in relation to the supe rvision and
co ntrol of expenditure from public funds in Malta as may be so
prescribed.
OIAI'TER X
THE PUBLIC SERVICE
Public Service Commission
1I 2.-{ 1) T here shall be a Public Service Commission for
Malta which shall consist of a chairman, a deputy chairman and
from one to three other members.
(2) The members of the Public Service Commission shall
be appoiuted by the Governor-General, acting in accordance with
the advice of the Prime Minister given after he has oonsulted t he
Leader of the Opposition.
0) A person shall not be qualified to hold offici: as a
member of the Public Service Commission if he is a Minister, a
Parliamentary Secretary, a member of, or a candidate for election
to, the House of Representatives, a member of a local government
authority or if he is a public officer.
(4) A member of the P ublic Service Commission shall not,
within a period of three years commencing with .he day OD which
he last held office ail a member, be t:'Iigible for appointment to or to
act in any public office.
(5) Subject to the provisions of this secti on, the office of
a member of the Public Service Commission shall become vacant -
(a) at the expiration of five years from the da te of his
appointment or at such earlier time as may be specified in the
instrument by which he was appointed; or
(b) if any circumstances arise that, if he were not a mem-
ber of the Commission, would cause him to be d isqualified for
appointment as such_
(6) A member of the Public Service Commission may be
removed from office by the Governor-General, acting in accordance
with the advice of the Prime Min ister, but he may be removed only
for inability to discharge the functions of his office (whether arising
from infinnity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misbe-
haviour_
(7) If the office of a member of the Public Service Com-
mission is vacant or if a member is for any reason unable to perform
the functions of his office, the Governor-General, acting in accor-
dance with the advice of the Prime Minister, given after he has
consulted the Leader of the Opposition, may appoint a person who is
qualified to be appointed to be a member to be a temporary member
of the Commission; and any person SO appoi nted shall, subject to
the provisions of subsections (5) and (6) of this section, cease to be
such a member when a person has been appointed to fill the vacancy
or, as the case may be, when the member who was unable to perform
the functions of his office resumes those functions_
Appointment, elc. of public officers
113_-(t) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, power
to make appointments to public offices and to remove and to exer·
cise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in any such
offices shaH vest in the Prime Minister, acting on the recommenda·
tion of the Public Service Commission
Provided that the Prime Minister may, acting on the re·
commendation of the Public Service Commission, delegate in writ-
ing, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the instrument
of del egation, any of the powers referred to in this subsection to
such public officer or other authority as may be specified in that
instrument.
(2) A delegation of a power under this section -
(a) shall be
without prejudice to the exercise of that
power by the Prime Minister act ing on the recommendation of
the Public Service Commission; and
(b) may authorise the public officer or other authority
concerned to exercise that power either with or without refer-
ence to the Public Service Commission.
(3) (a) An appeal shall lie to the Prime Minister, acting
in accordance with the recommendation of the Public Service Com-
mission, from any decision of a public officer or authority to re-
move any person from a public office in exercise of power delegated
under subsection (l) of this section
Provided that such right of appeal shall be without prejudice
to any such other right of appeal as may be provided under section
123{l) of this a:mstitution in respect of t he exercise of any other
power delegated under subsection 0) of this section.
(b) A right of appeal under this section shall be exercised
in accordance with such provision relating to procedure as may be
prescribed by the Public Service Commission under section 123(1)
of this Constitution
Provided that any procedure so prescribed shall be the
same for all classes of public officers.
(c) Where an appeal is brought under paragraph (b) of
this subsection by any public officer he shall, upon the consideration
of the appeal by the Public Service Commission, have the right to
be heard by the Commission in person and to be assisted by a re-
presentative of any trade union to which he belongs.
(4) No person shall be appointed under this section to or
to act in any oftke on the personal stall of the Governor_General
except with the approval of the Governor-General.
(5) The provisions of this section shall not apply in rela-
tion to -
(Cl) the oftices referred to in sections 92, 93 (other than
subsection (4) thereof), 95, 96(4), 101, III 114 and 1\5 of this
Constitution; or
(b) appointment~ to al:t in any public office for two
months or less in so far as the recommendation of the Public
Service Commission is required for any such appointment; or
(c) appointments to t he offices referred to in section 93(4)
Prmcipd ,'cpreselltatives of Malta abroad
114.- (1) Power to appoint persons to hold or act in the offices
to which this section applies and to remove persons so appointed
from any such office shall vest in the Governor-General; acting in
accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister
Provided that in respect of any person selected for ap-
pointment from the public service the Prime Minister shall, before
giving his advice under the provisions of this section, consult with
the Public Service Commission and, on being remolled from the
office to which he has been appointed under the provisions of this
section, the person so appointed shall revert to the rank which he
held in the public service immediately before such appointment.
The offices to which th is section applies are the offices
(2)
of any Ambassador, High Commissioner or other principal repre-
sentative of Malta in any other country.
Appointment on transfer in respect 0/ certain ol/ices
115.-( 1) Power to make appointments on transfer to and
from the offices to which this section applies shall ves t in the Prime
Minister acting after consultation with the Public Service Com-
mission
Provi ded that the person appointed to any such office
under the provisions of thIs section shall, on being transferred
from that office, revert to the rank which he held in the public
service immediately before his appointment to that office.
(2) T he offices to which this section applies are -
(a) offices the holders of which are required to reside
outside Malta for the proper discharge of t hei r functions; and
(b) such offices in the Ministry responSible for the exter-
nal affairs of Malta as may, from time to time, be designa ted
by the Prime Minister.
Protection 0/ pension righls
116.- (1) Subject to the provisions of section 117 of this Con-
stitution, the law applicable to any benefits to which this section
applies shall, in relation to any person who has been granted,
or who is eligible for the gra nt of such benefits, be that in force
on t he relevant date or any later law t hat is not less favourab le
to t hat person.
(2) In this section ·'the relevant date" meaDS -
(a) in relation to any benefits granted before the apP',inted
day, the date on which those benefits were gra nted;
(b) in relation to any benefits granted or to be granted
on or after the appoi nted day to or in respec t of any person
who was a public officer before that date, the day before the ap-
pointed day; and
(c ) in relation to any benefits granted or to be granted
to or in respect of any person who becomes a public officer
on or after the appointed day, the da te on which he becomes
a pu blic officer,
(3) Whe re a person is entitled to exercise an option as
to which of two or more laws shaH apply in his case, the law
for which he opts shall, for the purposes of this section, he deemeli
to be more favourable to him than the ot her law or laws.
(4) Any benefit to which this section applies (not being
a benefit that is a charge upon some other public fund of Malta)
shall be a charge upon th~ Consolidated Fund.
(5) This section applies to any benefits payable under any
law providing for the grant of pensions. gratuities or compensation
to persons who are or have been public officers in respect of their
service in the public service or to the widows, children, depe ndants
or personal representatives of such persons in respec t of such
service.
(6) Refer ences t o the law applicable to any benefits t o
which this section applies include (without prejud ice to thei r ge-
nerality) refe rences to any law relating to the t ime at which and
the manner in wh ich any person may retire in order t o become
eligible fo r those benefits.
Gram Qlld withholding 0{ pensions, etc.
117.-(1) Where any be nefits to which this sect ion applies can
be wit hheld, reduced in amou nt or ~uspended by any person or
au thority unde r any law those benefits shall not be so withheld,
reduced in amoun t or suspended without tbe concurrence of the
Public Service Commission.
(2) The Public Service Commission shall not concur under
subsection (I) of th is section in act ion taken on the gro und t hat
any person who holds or has held any of the offices referred to
in sections 92, 96(4), IQI and I II of this Constit ut ion has been
guilty of misbehaviour unless he has been removed from office by
reason of such misbehaviour.
(J) This section applies t o an y benefi ts payable under
any law providing for the gran t of pensions, gratu ities or compensa-
tion to persons who are or have been publ iC officers in respect of
their service in the public service or to the widows, children,
dependants or personal representat ives of such persons in respect
of sucb sel"lice.
Protection of Pllblic Service CommIssion (rom legal proceedings
11 8. The ques tion whether -
(a) Ihe Pu blic Service Commission has validly performed
any function vested in it by or under this Constitution;
(b) any member of the Public Service Commission or any
public officer or oth?f authority has validly performed any
funct ion delega ted to such member, public officer or authority
in pursuance of the provisions of subsectio n (I ) of section 11)
of tbis Constitution; or
(c) any member of the Public Service Commission or any
public officer or other authority has validly performed any othe!'
function in relation to the work of the Commission or in relation
to any such fu nction as is referred to in the preceding paragraph,
shall not be enquired into in any court.
CHAPTER XI
MISCELLANEOUS
Actions on validity of laws
119. A right of action for a declaration that any law is invalid
on any grounds other than inconsistency with the proviSions of sec-
tions 34 to 46 of this Constitution shall appertai n to al! persons
without distinction and a person bringing such an action shall not
be required [0 show any peTSQnal interest in support of his action.
Pro hihition of certain associations
120.- (1 ) It shall be un lawful to establish, mai ntain or belong
to any associatio n of persons who art organised and trained Of or·
ganised and equipped for the purpose of enabling them to be em-
ployed for the use or display of physical force in promot ing any
political object.
(2) The provisions of th is section shall be enforced in
such manner as may be provided by Parliament.
Broadcasting Authority
121.- (1) There shall be a Broadcasting Au thority for Malta
which shall consist of a chairman and such number of other members
not being less than four as may be prescribed by any law for the
time being in force in Malta.
(2) T he members of the Broadcas ting Authority shall be
appointed by the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the
advice of the Prime Minister given after he has consulted the
Leader of the Opposition.
(3) A person shall not be qualified to hold office as a
member of the Broadcasting Author ity if he is a Minister, a Parlia·
mentary Secretary, a member of, or candidate for election to, the
House of Representatives, a membe r of a local government autho-
rity or if he is a pu blic officer.
(4) A member of the Broadcasti ng Au thority shall no t.
wi thin a period of three years commencing wi th the day on which
he last held office or acted as a member. be eligible for appoint.
ment to or to ac t in any public office.
(5) Subject to the provisions of this section, the office
of a member of the Broadcasting Authority shall become vata nt-
(a) at the expiration of five years from the date of his
appointment or at such earlier t ime as may be specified in the
instrument by which he was appointed; or
(b) if any circumstances arise that. if he were not a
membe r of the Authority, would cause him to be disqualified
for appoint men t as such.
(6) A me mber of the Broadcasting Authori ty may be
removed from office by the Governor-General. ac ting in accordance
with the advice of the Prime Minister, but he may be removed
only for inability to discharge the functions of his office (whether
arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for
misbehaviour.
(7) If the office of a member of the Broadcasting Authority
is vaca nt or if a member is for any reason unable to perform the
functions of his office, the Governor-General, acting in accordance
with the advice of the Prime M.inister, given afte r he has consulted
the Leader of the Opposit ion. may appoint a person who is qualified
to be appointed to be a member to he a temporary member of the
Authority; and any person so appoin ted shall, ~ ubJec t to the provi·
sions of subsections (5) and (6) of this section, cease to be such a
member whe n a person has been appo inted to fill the vacancy or,
as the case may be. when the member who was unable to perform
the functions of his office res umes th05e functions.
(8) In the exercise of its functions under section 122(1)
of this Constitution the Broadcasting Authority shall not be subject
to the d irection or control of any other person or authority.
Function of tile Broadcasting Authority
122.-.. . (1) It shall be the function of the Broadcasting Authority
10 ensure that. so far as possible, in such sound and television broad-
casting services as may be provided in Malta, due impartiality is
preserved in respect of matters o! political or ind ustria\ .contro.v~~sy
or relating to current public policy and that broadcasting facilities
and time are fa irly apporlioned between persons belonging to
di fferent political parties.
(2) The function of the Broadcasting Authority referred
to in subsection (I) of this section shall be without prejudice to
such other fun ctions and dut ies as may be conferred upon it by
any law for the time being in force in Malta.
Powers and procedure of Commissions
123.- (1) Any Commission established by this Constitu-
tion may. wi t h the consent of the Prime Minister or such
other Minister as may be authorised in that behalf by the Prime
Minister by regulation or otherwise regulate its own procedure and
confer powers and impose duties on any public officer or authority
of the Government of Malta for the purpose of the discharge of its
functions.
(2) Any Commission established by this Const itution may
act notwithstand ing any v2comcy in ils memm:rship or the absence
of anr member and any proceedir.gs thereof shall be valid notwith-
standing that some person who was not entitled so to do took part
therein.
(3) Any ques tIOn proposed for decision at any meeting of
any Commission established by t his Constitution shall be deter-
mined by a majori ty of the votes of all the members theroof. and
if on any such question the votes are equally divided the member
presiding shall have and exercise a casting vote.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (]) of th is section, the
references to a member of the Electoral Commission shall m: con-
strued as including a reference to the Chairman of that Commission.
(S) The provisions of this section shall apply to the
Broadcasting Authority established by this Constitution.
Resignations
lZ4.-(l) Any person who is appointed, elected or otherwise
selected to any office established by Ihis Constitution (including the
office of Prime Minister or other Minister or Parliamentary Secretary)
may resign from that office by writing under his hand addressed to
the person or authority by whom he was appointed, elected or
selected.
(2) The resignation of any person from Bny such office as
afo resaid shall take effect when the writing signifying the resignatio n
is received by the person or authority to whom it is addressed or by
any person au thorised by that person or authority to rece ive it.
Rcappoimmenls, etc.
125.-{I) Where any person has vacated any office established
by t his Constitution (inctudin\!: the office of Prime Minister or other
Minister or Parliamentary Se-cretary), he may. if qua lified. again be
appoi nted, elected or o therwise selected to hold that office in acco r-
dance with the provisions of this Constitution.
Where by Ihis Constitu tion a power !s conferred upon
(2 )
any person or aut ho rit y to make any appoi ntment to any public
office, a person may be appoin ted to tha t office notwithstanding that
some ot:lcr perso n may be holding tha t office, when that other pe rso n
is on leavc of absence pending relinqu ishment of t he office; and
whn\! two or morc persons arc holdi ng the same office by reaso n of
a n appointment made in p ursuar.ce of this subsection, then for the
purposes of any funct ion conferred upon the holder of that office
the person last appointed shall be deemed to be the sole holder of
the office.
lliterpretation
In this Consti tut ion, unless the context otherw ise
126,- (l )
requires- -
"Act of P::Jrlia m'!nt"' m ~a ns any law made by Parliam,:nt ;
"the appo inted day" means 21st Sept ember 1964
"the Cabinet" means the Cabinet established by section 80
of this Constitu t ion
"the Commonweal th" means Malta, any country to which
section 29 of th is Cons t it ution ::Jpplies a nd any depe ndency of
any sllch eountry;
"the Consolidated F und" means the Consolidated Fund
established by section 105 of th is Constitut ion
"Constitutio nal Court" means the Constitutional Court
established by section 96 of this Constitu tion
"financial year" means the period of twelve months ending
on the th irty-first day of Ma rch in a ny year or on such other
date as may be prescribed by Parliament
"Gazette"' means the Malta Government Gaze tte or any
ot her official journal subst ituted therefor pu blished by order of
the Government of Malta;
"H ou s ~ "' means the House of Representa ti ves established
by section 52 of th is Const itution;
"law" incl udes any instrument having the force of law and
any unwritten rule of law and "lawful" and "lawfully" shall be
constr ued accordingly
" Malta" means the Island of Malta, the Island of Goze and
the other islands of the Maltese Arch ipelago, includ ing the ter"
ritorial waters thereof;
"oat h of allegia nce"' mea ns the oath of allegia nce set ou t in
the Second Schedule to this Constitution or suc h othe r oath as
may be prescr ibed by Parliament
" Parliament" means the Parl iament of Malta;
." pub lic offic e" means an office of emolument in the public
servIce;
"public officer" means the holder of any pu blic office or a
perso n appointed to ac t in any such office;
" the public servicc" means, subject to t he provisions of
subsect ions (2) and (3) of t his sect ion, the service of the Crown
in a civil cap ac tiy in respect of the Government of Malta;
" session" means the sittings of t he House of Representa t ives
begin ni ng when it firs t meets after t he co mmencement of th is
Co nst itution or after he pro rogati on or dissolu tion of Parliament
at any t ime an d t erm inati ng when Parliamen t is prorogued or
is d issolved wit hout having been prorogued;
"silting" means a period d ur ing which th e House of Repre-
sentatives is sitting continuously witho ut adjournment and
incl udes any period duri ng which th e House is in committ ee;
"the Speaker" and " the Dep uty Speaker" mean respectively
t he Speaker and th e Deputy Speaker elected und er section 60
of t his Constitutio n.
(2) In this Constitu tion, unless thc context otherwise
requires, " the public service" includes service in the office of judge
of the Superior Courts. service in the office of magistrate of the
inferior courts and service in the office of a member of the Malta
Police Force.
(J) In th is Constitutio n "the public service" does not
include service in the offi ce of -
(n Prime Mi nister or other Minister, a Parlia mentary
Secretary, Speaker, Deputy Speaker. a member of the House
of Representati ves, a member of a Commission established
by this Constitution;
(H) save where the holder of the office is selected from
th e public service, an Ambassador, H igh Commissioner or
other principal re prese ntative of Malta in any other country;
0'
(iii) save in so far may be prescribed by Parliament,
a me mber of any co uncil. board, panel, committee Of other
similar body established by or unde r any law.
(4) For t he purposes of t his Constitut ion a person shall
not be regarded as hold ing a public office by reason only of the fact
th at he is in receipt of a pension or other li ke allowance in respect
of public service.
(5)
In this Co nstitution, unless
the context
otherwise
req uires -
(a) a reference to an a ppointment to any office s hall be
construed as including a refere nce to a n appointment on pr~
motio n or t ransfer to t ha t office and to t he appointment of a
person to perform t he fu nc tions of that office during any period
during whic h it is vacant or d uring which the holde r t hereof is
un able (whether by reason of absence or infirm ity of body or
mind or any ot he r cause) to perform th ose funct ions; and
a reference t o the holder of an office br th e t erm
(b)
designat ing his office or by reference t o t he prOVIsion of t his
Constitutio n establishinR that office shall be construed as includ.
ing a reference to any person for the t ime beinR lawfully perform.
ing the functions of that office.
(6) Where power is vested by this Cons titution in any
person or authority to appoint any person to act in or perform the
functions of any olIke if the holder thereof i.s himself unable to per-
form th ose functions, no such appoin tment shall be caUed in ques.-
tion on the ground that the holder of the office was not unable \0
perform those fu.nctions.
(7) References in this Constitution to the power to remove
a public officer from his oUiee shall be construed as including refer·
cnees 10 any power conferred by any law to requ ire or permit that
officer to ret ire from the public service
Provided that -
(a) nothing in th is subsectio n shall be construed as con-
ferring on any person or authority power t o require any person
holding any of the offices referred to in sections 92, 96(4). 101 or
I II of th is Constituti on to rctire from the public service: and
(b) the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to
any power conferred by any law to permit a person to retire
from the public service where that person has requested per-
mission to retire from the public service on proved medical
grounds.
(8) Any provision in this Constitut ion that vests in any
person or authority powe r to remove any public officer from his
office shall be without prejud ice to the power of any person or
authority to abolish any office or to any law providin g fo r th e com-
pulsory retireme nt of public officers generally or any class of public
officers on atta ini ng an age specified therein.
(9) Where any powe r is conferred by this Cons ti t ution to
make any proclamation. order, rules or regulations or to give any
di rections or to make any designatio n, the power shall be const rued
as incl udi ng a power, exercisable in like manne r, to amend or revoke
any such proclamatio n. order, rules, regulations, directions or desig-
nat ion.
(10) No prOvision of this Constitu tion that any ~rsun or
authority shall not be subject t o the direction or control of any
other person or authority in exercising any functions und er this
Constitution shall be construed as preclu ding a court from exercis-
ing jurisdiction in relation to any question whether tha t person or
authority has pe rformed those fun ctions in accordance with this
Constitu tio n or any other law.
(1 1) W here a person is required by this Constitution t o
make an oat h he shall be permitted, if he so desires, to comply \\'ith
that requirement by making an affirmation .
(12) Any reference in this Constit ution to a law made
before the commencement of this Constitution shall, unless the con-
text ot herwise requires, be cons trued as a reference to that law as
in force immediately before the appointed day.
(13 ) Any reference in this Constitutio n to a law th~t
amends or replaces any other law shall be const rued as including a
reference to a law that modifies, re-enacts, with or withou t amend·
ment or modification, or mak t>s differen t prov isions m lieu of that
ot her law.
(1 4) The Intetpretation Act 1889 as in force on the ap-
pointed day shall apply, with the nttessary
adaptations,
for the
purpose of intetpreting this Constitution and otherwise in relation
thereto as it applies for the purpose of interpreting, and in relation
to, Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom.
SCHED U LES
TO
THE
CONSTIT U TION
The Malta (Constitution) Order in Council 1961(bl as
ame nded (which Order, as amended, is hereinafter refer-
red to as "the 1961 Order") is revoked as from the appointed day;
and the provisions of section 38(2) of the In terpretation Act 1889(c)
shall apply in relation to such revocation as t hey apply in relation
to the repeal of an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom,
Section 48(7)
Criminal Code (Chapter 12)
Code of Police Laws (Chapter 13)
Code of Organization and Civil Procedure (Chapter 15)
Commercial Code (Chapter 17)
Civil Code (Chapter 23)
The Constitution shall be, and may be cited as, the Consti- of
tution of Malta and it shall come into effect on the appointed day.
(a) 1964 c. U.
(t) 52 &; '3 Vie! . c, 6),
s. Where the Governor-General has power under the Consti-
tution to make any appointme nt or to make any order or to do any
other thing for th e purposes of the Cons titution, that power may be
exercised by the Governor of the State of Malla at any time before
the appoin ted day to such extent as may, in his opinion, be necessary
or c)[pedicnt to enable the Consti tution to fun ction as from the ap-
pointed day.
6.-(1) Where any office has been established by or under the
1961 Order or allY other law in force immediately before the appoin t-
ed day and the Constitution establishes or provides lo r the establish-
ment 0 1 a similar or an equivalent office, any person who imme-
d iately before the appomteo day hOlOs or is actmg in the former
olllce shall, so lar as lS conSIstent WIth the ConSlltution, De a ccmed
to have been appolDted on the appoinred day to hold or 10 ac t in
the la tter odice tn accornance witl! the provisions 01 the Constitution
and to nave taken any necessary Oath unner tn e Constnution
P rov id ed that where under the Constitution any person is
req uired to vacate hIS a/lice at (ne eXp,ratIOn or any period from the
date 01 nis appollltment tnat penod snail be reckoned from the date
of IllS appoIntment to tne o.uee es ta ohsned by or unaer tb e l:#tI t
Order or, as the case may be, tnat Olner law.
l2J The prov,sions of section 112(4) of the Con:>titution
shall no t a pply to any perso n on hIS vacatlllg olhce as a mcrnb~ r of
the Public ::>ervice Lommlsslon il, imm~Q,aLely bel0rc he v"cawd
that Olllce, he held it hy virtue of the pIOVIS.OIIS 01 suosee{lOIl llJ of
this sectio n.
0) T he provisiolls of this section shaH be without pre-
judice to the provisions of section 7 01 this Oro~ r.
7.- (1) No tw ithstanding any other provision of this Order, the
Legislative Assembly establtsned un der the 1961 Order shall be the
Ho use of Representatives of Malta during the period beginuin:; on
the a ppoi nted day and ending with the firs t dissolution of the Parlia·
m en t of Malta thereafter, and accordingly -
(a) the persons who immediately before the appo in ted
day are members of the Legislative Assembly shall as from that
day be deemed to have been elected as members of the House
of Represelltatlves in pursuance of the proviSIons of section 53
of the Cons titution and to have taken any necessary oatn under
aJ
the Constitution, and, subject to subsectIOn
01 this sectlon,
shall hold the ir sealS in the House ill accordance with the pra.
visions of the Constitution; and
(b) the persons who im:nediately before the appoin ted day
arc Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legis lative Assembly
shall as from that day be deemed to have been elected as such
in pursuance of sectio n 60 of the Constitution and 10 have taken
any necessary oath und er the Constitution, and shall hold office
in accordance with the provisions of that section.
a) A member of the House of Representatives to whom
'h,
rroviSions of paragraph (a) of subsect'on (1) of this section apply
shal not vacate his seat by reason only of his not being a citiZen of
Malta if he is entitled under the provisions of the Constitution to be
registered as such a ci tizen and is so regis tered within si:\: months
of the appointed day.
(3) The Standins Orders of the Legislative Assembly es tab-
lished under the 1961 Order as in
force
immediately before the
appointed day shall, elcept as may be otherwise provided under
section 68(1) of the Conslilution, apply for the regulation of the pro-
cedure of the Ho use of Representatives but shall be COlL'll rued with
such modificat ions. adaptations. qualifications and exceptions as may
be necessary to bring them inlo conformity wit h Ih is Order.
(4) Notwithstand ing anything contained in s ubs«tion (2)
of section 77 of the Constitution (but subject 10 the provisions of s ub-
sections (3) and (4) of that section) the Parliament of M31ta s hall.
unless soo ner dissolved, stand di ssolved OD 26th April 1966.
(5) Unless altered in accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution, th e electoral divisions referred to in s~tion S7(1 ) of
the Constitution shall be those set out in the Third Schedule to the
1961 Order; and for the purposes of s~tion 62(1) of the Constitution
the Electoral Commission shall he deemed to have reviewed the
boundaries of those divisions on the appointed day.
8.-(1) The provisions of the El~toral (Franchise, Method of hwa, to
Election aDd Registration of Voters) Ordinance and the El~ to ral <1«tio",
(Polling) Ordinance and any rep,ul:lt ions made thereunder shall (sub-
ject to th eir amendment or replacement by the Parliament of Malta
or other competent authority) apply to the regis tration of voters for
the election of members of the House of Representatives and to the
election of such members.
(2) The electoral register as revised by virtue of the Elector·
al (Franchise, Method of EI~tion and Registration of Vo ters)
Ordinance shall continue after tbe appointed day to be in force as
a valid electoral register subject to fUrl her revision or to replacement
unde r the said Ordina nce or any other law amending or replacing
the same.
9.-(1) Any power of the Prime Minister which, by virtue of Trr.naitiOllol
any instrument having effect immediately before the appointed day provi .......
under, or as if it had been made under, section 86 of the 196 1 Order "'law..
is at that time delegated to a public officer or other authority. shall
as from the appoin ted day be deemed to have been delegated to ditoip~ne
that officer or authority in accordance with the provisions of the 01 public
Constitution.
(2) Any matter which immediately before the appointed
day is pending before the Public Service Commision established
by the 1961 Order or, as the case may be, before any officer or
authority to whom the power to deal with such matlers has been
delegated in th e manner mentioned in subsection (I) of this section
shall as from t he appointed day be continued before the Public
Service Commissio n established by the Constitu tion or, as the case
may be, that officer or au toority.
Oath of Allegiance
Section 126(1)
Oath of Allegiance
1. I, .............. ...... .. .... .. ... ......... do swear that I will he faithful and bear true
allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heirs and Successors.
according to law. So help me God.
2. Affirmation of Allegiance
I,
............. ... ........ .................. do solemnly and si ncerely affir m and
declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth the -Second, Her Heirs and Successors, according to law .
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is /lot part of this Order, bllt is intended to indicate its general pllrport.)
This Order appoints 21st September )964 as the appo inted day for the pur-
poses of section HI) of th e Malta Independence Act 1964 and provides a new
constitution for Malta coming into effect on that day.
ta 'T ~ea l ta
'
.
Gurament
Artikolu 126(1)
Ġurament ta'
l.
Lealta
Jiena ... , .................... ; ..................... miħlef 11 nkun fidili u
nġib tassew lealta lill-.Maesta Tagħha r-Reġina Eliżabetta t-Tieni, lill··
Werrieta u Suċċessuri Tag.ħha, skond il-liġi. Hekk Alla jgħini.
Dikjarazzjoni ta' Lealta
2. Jiena, ........... ................................... niddikjara solenne-
ment u sinċerament li nkun fidil i 11 nġib tassew lealta lill-Maesta
Tagħha r-Reġina Eliżabetta
t-Tieni, lill-Werrieta u Suċċessuri
Tagl1ha, skond il-liġi.
NOTA TA' TIFSIR
(Din in-nota mhix parti ta' l-Ordni, iżda hija maħsuba
biex turi l-iskop ġenerali tiegħu.)
Dan l-Ordni jistabbilixxi 1-21 ta' Settembru 1964 bħala l-ġur-·
nata stahbilita għall-finijiet ta' l-artikolu 1(1) ta' l-Att ta' 1-1964
dwar l-Indipendenza ta' Malta u jipprovdi kostituzzjoni ġdida għal
Malta 1i tibda sc;:pt1ħ f'dik il-ġurnata.
[Price 3s.
The person li rst appointed to the office of Governor-Gene- o.tlt of 11 .. ,
raJ shall be deemed to have complied with the provisions of section Oovernor-
51 of the Constitu tio n if he takes and subscribes. in addition to the Qenr .. l.
oath of allegia nce, an oath for the due execution of his office in the
form set out .in the Second Schedule to the 1961 Order.
11.-(1) Subjcct to the provIsions of this Order, all laws
(including laws made under the 1961 Order) in force in, or otherwise
having effect as part of the law of, Malta immediately before the
ap pointed day (he reinafter referred to as "the ex.is ting laws") shall
(subject to amendme nt or repeal by the Parliament of Malta or
other competent authority) continue so to bave effect on and after
that day; but all such laws shall be construed with such modifica-
tions, adaptations, qualifications and c:tcept ions as may be necessary
to bring them into conformity with Ihis Order or in consequence
of the enactment of the Malta Independence Act 1964.
(2) T he Gove rnor-General may (without prejudice t o the
powers of the Parliament of Malta or other competent authority) by
order made at any time within twelve months after the appointed
day make such amendments to any existing law (other than the
Malta Independence Act 1964 and this Order) as may appear t o him
to be necessary or expedient for bringing that Jaw into conformity
with the provisions of this Order or otherwise for giving effect or
enabling effect to be given to those provisions, or in consequence
of the enactment of the Malta Indepe nde nce Act 1964: and any
such order shall have effect from such date, not earlier t ha n the
appointed day, as may be specified therein.
(l) Where any matter that fa ns to be prescribed 01 other-
wise provided for unde r the Constitution by the Parliamen t of Malta
or by any other authority or person is, immed iate~ before the ap"
pointed day, prescribed or provided for by or un er any existing
law (incl udi ng any amendment t o any such law made under this
section), that prescription or prov ision shall, on and after the ap-
pointed day, have effect as if it had been made under the Consti-
tu tion by the Parliamen t of Malta or, as the case may be, by the
other au thority or person.
(4) On and afte r the appoi nted day no provision of any
law subsisting immediately before lrd March 1962 shall be regarded
as having ceased to have effect as part of the law of Malta by reason
of any inconsistency with the 1961 Order if that provision is one
which, were it a provision having effect immediately before the
'ypointed day, would continue to have effect as aforesaid by virtue
o sect ion 48(7) of the Constitution.
It is hereby d K:lared that -
(a) t he Letters Patent and Order in Council set out in the
First Schedule to the Malta Constitution Act 1932 (_) were
validly passed and made and were withi n the powers reserved
to H is Majesty;
(b) the Acts of the Legislature of Malta so set out were
validly enacted and were wi thin the powers of the Legislature;
(c) the Ordinances of the Governor of Malta so set out
were validly promulgated and were within the powers of the
Governor;
Id) all Ordinances of the Governor of Malta enacted and
promulgated during the periOd between the commenceme nt of
the Mal ta Constitution Act 1932 and the commencement of the
Malta (Letters P atent) Act 1936 (h) were validly enacted and
promulgated and were within t he powers of the Govelnor.
(b) 26 0.0. , .t: I Edw. I . c. 2'.
n . Until Parliament presc ribes the manner in wh ich an appli·
catio n shall be made for the purposes of any provision of sections 24. application
25 and 27 of the Constitution. an application under that provision .. '" ';<efl
need not be in any particula r form but the application shall be suffi· at M.II • .
cient if it is mad e to the Minister responsi ble for matters relating to
eiti2:enship of Malta and if it dectares the name. ad dress and national
status of the applicant and grounds upon which the applicant is en·
titled to registration under that provision and is accompanied by
such support ing documents as the Minister may requ ire.
ssir applikazZljoni għall-finijiet ta' xi disposizzjoni ta' l-artikoli 24, applikazzjoni
25 u 27 tal-Kostituzzjoni, applikazzjoni skond dak il-provvediment reġistrazzjoni
ma għandhiex bżonn tkun f'xi forma partikolari iżda l-applikazzjoni bħ a la
tkun biżżejjed jekk tkun magħmula lill-Ministru responsabbli għal ċittadin ta'
ħwejjeġ dwar iċ-ċittadinanza ta' Malta u jekk tiddikjara l-isem, l-in- Malta.
dirizz u l-istatus nazzjonali ta' l-applikant u r-raġunijiet li minħabba
fihom l-applikant ikollu dritt għar-reġistrazzjoni skond dak il-prov-
vediment u jkollha magħha dawk id-dokumenti ġustifikattivi li
l-Ministru jista' jeħtieġ.
l4. L-artikolu 5l(2)(b) ta' l-Ordni fil-Kunsill ta' 1-1959 dwar
il-Kostituzzjoni għal Ma1ta(b) u l-artikolu 2(2) ta' l-Ordnifil-·Kun-
si1l ta' 1-19'63 li jimmodifika l-Ordni fil-Kunsill dwar il· Kostituzzjoni
għal l\1a1ta(ċ) għandhom jitqiesu li kellhom seħħ -
(a) bħallikieku minflok il-kliem ":fid-data" kien hemm il-
kliem "minnufih qabel id-data"; u
(b) bħallikieku minflok il-kliem "wara dik id-data" kien
hemm il-kliem "fi jew wara dik id-data".
Il-Parlament ta' Malta jista' jibdel l-artikolu 7(4) ta' dan Tibdil ta'
Section 51(2)(b) of the Malta (Constitution) Orde r in Cou n·
cil 1959{.1) and section 2(2) of the Malta (Constitution) (Mod ifica·
tion) Order in Council 1963(b) shall be deemed to have had effect-
(a) as if for the words "on the date" there were substituted
the words " immediately before the date"; and
(b) as if for the words "after that date" there were sub-
stituted the words "on or after that date".
The Parliament of Malta may alter section 7(4) of this Altc .... lion
Order or this sec tion in the same manner as it may alter the pro- o f thi.
visions of the Malta Independence Act 1964 under section 67 of the 0.0.,.
Consti tut ion. and may alter any other provisio n of sec tions 3 to 14
of this Orde r in the same manner as it may al ter the provisions of
the Constitution mentioned in subsectio n (2) of that sec;tion.
w. G. Agnew.
190 11. p. 1770.
(It)
Minimum age for paid labour.
Safeguarding labo ur of minors.
Social assista nce and insurance.
18.
Inkoraġġiment ta' intrapriża ekonomika privata.
Encouragement of private economic en terprise.
W. Protf(;t ion of artisa n trades.
Inkoraġġiment ta' ko-operattivi.
Encoura$cment of c()-Operatives.
Application of the principles con tained in this Chapter.
CHAPTI!R III
CITIZE NSHIP
Perso ns wh o become citizens on appointed day.
Persons entitled to be registered as citizens.
24.
Persuni natura1izzati jew reġistrati bħala residenti qabel il-
Persons naturalised or registered as resident before appointed
day.
Acquisi tion of citizenship by birth
or descent by persoos
born on or after appoi nted day.
Section
Marriage to citizen of Malta.
Dual citi zenship.
Commonwealth citizens.
Criminal liability of Commonwealth citizens.
Powers of Parliament.
Interpretation.
CHAPTER IV
FUNDAMENTAL RI GHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE
INDIVIDUAL
F undamental rights and freed oms of the individual.
Protection of righ t to life.
Protection from arbitrary arrest or detention.
Pro tection from forced labour.
Protection from inhuman treatment.
Protection from deprivation of property without compen-
sation.
Pro tection for privacy of home or other property.
Provisions to secure protection of law.
Protection of fr~edom of conscience.
Protection of freedom of expression.
Protection of freedom of assembly and association.
Prohibition of deportation.
Protection of freedom of movement.
Protection from discrimination on the grounds of race, etc.
Enforcement of protective provisions.
Interpretation of Chapter IV.
CHAPTER V
THE GOVERNOR·GENERAL
Establishment of office of Governor-General.
Discharge of Governor-General's functions during vacancy,
etc.
Oaths to be taken by Governor-General.
VI
CHAPTER
PARLlAMENT
Part 1
Composition of Par/iQment
Establishment of Plrliament.
Composition of the House of Representatives.
53.
Qualifications for membership of House of Representatives.
Disq ualifications for membership of House of Representa-
tives.
Tenure of office of members.
Voting at Elections.
Qualification of voters.
SS.
Disqualification of voters.
59. Section
Kwalifika ta' eletturi.
Skwalifika ta' eletturi.
Artikolu
60 . Speaker u Deputy Speaker.
Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Establishment of Electoral Commission.
Electoral divisions.
F illing of vacancies.
Determination of q uestions as to membership.
Clerk to House of Representati ves and his staff.
Part 2
Powers and Procedure of Parliament
Powe r to make laws.
Alteratio n of this Constitution.
Regulation of procedure in House of Represen tatives.
Oath to be taken by members of House of Representatives.
Presiding in House of Re presentat ives.
Quorum in House of Representatives.
72. Voting.
Votazzjoni.
Mod ta' eżerċizzju tas-setgħat leġislativi.
Mode of exercising legislative powe rs.
Restriction with regard t o certain fi nancial measures.
Language of Laws.
Part 3
Summoning. prorogation and dissolution
Sessions of Parliamen t.
Prorogation and d issol ution of Parl ia men t.
General elections.
CHAPTER V II
THE EXECUTIVE
Executive authority of Malta.
SO. T he Cabinet.
BI. Appoi nt ment of Ministers.
Il-Kabinett.
Ħatra ta' Ministri.
Tiżmim ta' kariga ta ~ Ministri.
T enure of office of Ministers.
B3. Allocation of portfolios to Ministers.
Aġent Prim Ministru.
Ministri temporanji.
Act ing Prime Minister.
SS. T emporary Minis ters.
Eżerċizzju tal-funzjonijiet tal-Gvernatur-Ġenerali.
Exercise of fun ctions of Governor-General.
Exercise of Prime Minister's functi ons.
Gove rn or-General to be inform ed concerning matters ot
government.
Parliamentary Secretaries.
9Q. Oaths to be taken by Ministe rs.
Kap ta' l-Oppożizzjoni.
Leader of the Opposition.
n . Crown Advoca te-General.
r ermanent Secretaries and heads of government departments.
Prerogative of mercy.
Seeretary to the Cabinet.
CIIAPTER V III
THE JUDICIARY
Part I
COllrts
Section
Superior Courts.
Appointment of judges.
Tenure of offiee of judges.
Aeting Chief Jus t ice and act ing judges.
Infe rior Courts.
Magistra tes.
Oaths to be t aken by judges and magistrates.
Part 2
Appeals
Appeals to Her Ma jesty in Council.
Appeals from Superior Courts in Criminal matters.
C HAPTER IX
FINANCE
Consolidated Fund.
Authorisation of expenditure from Consolidated Fund.
Authorisation of expenditure before appropriation.
Contingencies Fund.
Public debt.
Remuneration of the Governo r-General and certain other
officers.
Director of Aud it.
C HAPTER X
T HE PUBLIC SERVICE
Public Service Commission.
Appoin tment. etc. of public officers.
Principal represen tatives of Malta abroad.
11 5.
Appointment on transfer in respect of certain offices.
Ħatra bi trasferiment dwar xi karigi.
Protection of pension ri ghts.
Il7.
Grant and withholding of pensions. elc.
Għoti u tiżmim ta' pensjonijiet, eċċ.
Protection of Public Service Commission from legal proceed-
ings.
CHAPTER XI
MISCELLANEOUS
Actions on validity of laws.
Prohibitio n of certain associat ions.
12\. Broadcasting Authority.
Awtorita dwar ix-Xandir.
Funzjoni ta' l~A'\Ttorita (1\,\T(l1' ix-Xandir.
122. Artikolu
F unction of the Broadcas ting Authority.
Powers and procedure of Commissions.
124. Resignations.
Reappointments. etc.
Inte rpretation.
SCHEDU LES TO THE CONSTITUTION
FIRST SaIEDUL E
O . . TH OF ALLEGIANCE