The High Court hearing on the composition of the National Assembly’s Com-mittee of Selection was yesterday adjourned due to the absence of Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who said that he had to prepare for his presentation in the National Assembly later in the day.
Nandlall was to continue his arguments yesterday.
When the case was called before acting Chief Justice Ian Chang, state prosecutor Naresh Harnanan said that he had submitted a letter on behalf of Nandlall the previous day seeking an adjournment.
After reading the letter, Justice Chang reported that Nandlall said that he had to make a presentation in the National Assembly.
It was the first delay the case has encountered since its start.
Nandlall, in a Constitutional Motion, has argued that representation in the parliamentary committees, including the Committee of Selection, must be based on the proportionality determined by seats that parties won at last November’s election.
He is seeking a declaration that the composition of the Committee of Selection done by elections – PPP, four; APNU, four and AFC, one – is a violation of the “principle of proportionality as contemplated by Articles 60 and 160 of the Constitution and the provisions of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act No 15 of 2000 and accordingly, unconstitutional, unlawful, null, void and of no effect.”
He is also asking the court for orders setting aside, revoking, cancelling or annulling the composition of the committee on the grounds that it was in breach of the Constitution and a breach of the provisions of the law and further directing the respondents and their servants/ agents to constitute all standing committees and sectoral committees and every other committee of the 10th Parliament, whose composition are not expressly set out in the Constitution, with due regard to and in compliance with the principle of proportionality.
David Granger, the leader of the list of candidates of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Leader of the Opposition, and Raphael Trotman, the leader of the list of candidates of Alliance for Change (AFC) and Speaker of the National Assembly, are named as the respondents in the motion.
