The Court’s jurisdiction to intervene in the internal affairs of Parliament was hotly debated on Friday morning when arguments in the case of the eight Members of Parliament (MPs) suspended by the Assembly’s Committee of Privileges were heard by the High Court.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC was resolute that Parliament, as a sovereign entity, is accorded “absolute and exclusive” privilege which allows it to run its own affairs, free from outside interference.
Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, who represents the suspended MPs, however contended that having not been afforded their constitutional right of being heard, the suspended MPs have a related right to approach the court for redress.