{"id":182473,"date":"2017-09-28T00:00:16","date_gmt":"2017-09-27T18:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=182473"},"modified":"2017-10-02T00:16:31","modified_gmt":"2017-10-01T18:46:31","slug":"for-against-a-second-chamber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/for-against-a-second-chamber\/","title":{"rendered":"For & Against A Second Chamber"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Cassian M Fernando<\/a> –<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Cassian M Fernando<\/p><\/div>\n

Political philosophers classify constitutions in a number of ways. Unitary or\u00a0 <\/span>Federal; Written or Unwritten; Rigid or Flexible; Democratic or Totalitarian; Unicameral or Bicameral.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

As the proposed constitutional reforms<\/a> suggest the creation of a second chamber this\u00a0<\/span>article\u00a0<\/span>attempts to discuss the merits and demerits’ of\u00a0<\/span>a second chamber. Under the Constitution of 1947 Sri Lanka had a Second Chamber the Senate.\u00a0<\/span>In terms of the provisions of the said\u00a0 <\/span>constitution the Minister of Justice was always from the Senate. As a matter of fact Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike entered politics as a senator.\u00a0<\/span>However in the 1972 constitution the Senate was altogether abolished. <\/span><\/p>\n

In a Bicameral system the relation between the two chambers vary. In some countries both\u00a0<\/span>have\u00a0<\/span>equal powers, while in most,\u00a0<\/span>one chamber is superior to the other. Those who argue in favour of two chambers claim that <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The second chamber has a modifying effect on legislation. It acts as brake against hasty, ill-considered and rash legislation. It acts as a check on hasty legislation. Members to a lower chamber are elected by direct vote\u00a0<\/span>of the people very often incompetent to elect the most competent to represent them.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>They are liable to be swayed by popular sentiment. The second chamber exercises a controlling, modifying, retarding and studying influence on legislation.\u00a0<\/span>By interposing delay between introduction and adoption of a bill, the second chamber permits time for further reflection and deliberation. <\/span><\/p>\n

The second chamber can be used to give adequate representations for minorities and other special interests who cannot expect to get their representations in an elected chamber. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the second chamber representations can be given to intellectuals, artists, and scientists.\u00a0<\/span>These people are generally election shy\u00a0 <\/span>and do not like to undergo the botheration of elections.\u00a0<\/span>The second chamber can thus be made a reservoir of knowledge and intellect. The lower House is a People’s Chamber while the other is a Chamber of Statesmen and veteran politicians providing mature leadership guiding the masses.\u00a0<\/span>Renounced persons can be honoured by appointing them to this Chamber. The legislature can benefit from their expertise and experienced knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

A second Chamber can act as a Revisionary Chamber. It can be a second filter bed where the technical flaws of bills can be removed.<\/span><\/p>\n

A second Chamber usually acts as a Delaying Chamber providing time for cool reflection and further deliberation. <\/span><\/p>\n

A second Chamber checks the despotism of the lower Chamber, preventing tyrannical action. An omnipotent single chamber can bring death knell to democracy. On the contrary a Second Chamber prevents misuse of uncontrolled power and prevents legislative despotism. <\/span><\/p>\n

A second Chamber is a useful alternative to total federalism. Adequate minority representations can be made in the Second Chamber. <\/span><\/p>\n

Second Chambers are expected to represent functional interests like Industry, Trade, Agriculture Profession that are not normally represented in an elected Chamber. <\/span><\/p>\n

Those who oppose a Second Chamber maintain that<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Such a Chamber stifles the will of the people and is undesirable that a imported body should choke the voice of the people. Democracy cannot speak in two voices Second chamber is an outworn creed with a desire to reconcile with the minorities <\/span><\/p>\n

Second Chambers are generally considered to be the citadels of reactions and conservatism, and acts as brake in the wheel of democracy. Prof Harold Laski rejects the view\u00a0<\/span>that a second chamber is a necessary check\u00a0<\/span>against hasty rash and ill-considered legislation.\u00a0<\/span>In actual fact bills are thoroughly discussed and examined by a committee of experts when they are presented\u00a0<\/span>as such the revisionary function of a second chamber does not arise. In the present day context bills are thoroughly discussed by the media and wide publicity is given to the contents. <\/span><\/p>\n

If both houses are controlled by the same party\u00a0<\/span>what is passed in one house will automatically be\u00a0<\/span>passed in the other house as well. If the two houses are controlled by two different parties this will lead to political impasse\u00a0 <\/span>and forward march of implementing a government policy will be stalled.\u00a0 <\/span>And even prevented. <\/span><\/p>\n

A second chamber enjoys the delaying power.\u00a0 <\/span>And if miss used will delay the implementation of progressive and urgent legislation. Prof Laski says\u00a0‘<\/span>The power to postpone\u00a0<\/span>is power to defeat the changes\u00a0<\/span>regarded as necessary by the party chosen to power by the people – The electorate.’<\/span><\/p>\n

Experience has shown that second chambers seldom provide an effective check on\u00a0<\/span>hasty and ill-considered legislation but only frequently provide deadlocks and leg pulling practices and shows lack of responsibility.<\/span><\/p>\n

A second Chamber except in the Unites States play a subordinate role in legislation, which led Abbe to comment<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that it is superfluous if the second chamber\u00a0<\/span>agrees with the lower chamber\u00a0<\/span>and it is mischievous if it descents.<\/span><\/p>\n

A bicameral legislature in the words of Benjamin\u00a0<\/span>Franklin is like a cart\u00a0<\/span>with a\u00a0<\/span>horse tied to each of the ends, the two horses polling in opposite directions.\u00a0It is like a house dived against itself\u00a0 <\/span>and is incompatible with peoples sovereignty. <\/span><\/p>\n

As against the false belief a second chamber cannot give adequate representations to minority interests. Members in a upper house votes as the same way the members in a lower house will do. They have to obey the dictates of the party to which they belong That\u00a0 <\/span>the second chamber will provide an enlightened view is only a myth and never happens in reality. <\/span><\/p>\n

There is no universal method of constituting a Second Chamber.\u00a0<\/span>In Uk members of the House of Lords are mostly hereditary.\u00a0<\/span>In Canada the members are nominated by the Governor General. In India the Raj Sabha is partly elected by the legislature and part nominated by the President The lack of a well determined standard as to how a Second Chamber should constitute is also a draw back for the creation of a second Chamber.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a known and established political concept that\u00a0 <\/span>legislation functions not the way the framer want it to be but the way operators make them out to be<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>In such a scenario\u00a0 <\/span>taking cognition of the situation prevailing in Sri Lanka\u00a0<\/span>where people defeated by the electorate end up as Ministers\u00a0<\/span>will the second chamber be another depository for political goons\u00a0<\/span>and big businessmen who are financiers of political parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

At what cost will a second chamber be established, the salaries, the fringe benefits the luxury cars and all others of 53\u00a0<\/span>Second Chamber Members will have to come from the tax payers monies. Will it be another white elephant.\u00a0<\/span>Why was the Senate abolished? Was it considered to have performed no useful functions? In the recent past no political party canvassed for an second Chamber.\u00a0<\/span>How did such a proposal get in to the draft placed before Parliament? <\/span><\/p>\n

There has to be a very wide discussion before the proposal to establish a Second Chamber is seriously\u00a0<\/span>considered.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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