Posted by / Monday 21 November 2016 / No comments

The concept of Supremacy of Parliament



SUPREMACY OF PARLIAMENT
Definition of Supremacy of Parliament
Supremacy of Parliament refers to the power of the body to make laws on any matter at all without coming under the influence or scrutiny of any other body. This takes many forms.

Laws with retrospective effect
Parliament has the power to pass a law that takes effect from a time when a breach of that law was not an offense. In other words it takes retrospect effect. On the hand, it could also pass a law that makes an action legal when before the passing of that law was not legal.

No court of law can overrule its laws
Supremacy of Parliament also means that when the parliament makes mistake in the passing of any law, no other body can correct this mistake. Only the same parliament can correct the mistake.

Power to impose forms of government
Another ramification of the Supremacy of Parliament is that, parliament has the power to determine the type of governmental system to be operated in the country. Parliament can choose to pass a law to practice a capitalist or socialist system of government.

Power to regulate its lifespan
Power to regulate its lifespan means that parliament can extend how long or how short it stays. For example, if the parliament is supposed to sit for four years, this can be extended by another three years to a seven year term. It could also be shortened its lifespan from seven to five years or less.

Power to impose a new religion
Parliament has the power to impose any form of religion it deemed fit on their people. For example, at some point, the British were Catholics but parliament but parliament pass a law to replace Catholicism with Protestantism.

Control of public purse
Supremacy of Parliament also means that without the approval of parliament, nobody can draw money from the national kitty. This is the reason why every executive must take its budget to parliament to be discussed and passed into law.

The powers that parliament wields has led some to conclude that the British Parliament can do anything except to change a man into a woman or vise versa.

SAMPLE QUESTION(S)
1. a. Explain the concept of Supremacy of Parliament.
    b. Highlight five features of Supremacy of Parliament.

2. Highlight six implications of the concept of Supremacy of parliament.
Related Posts