Outgoing Chief Justice rules Ministers Felix and Scott cannot sit in National Assembly as technocrats

The two were selected as Technocrat Ministers and became Members of Parliament for the coalition government following the 2015 General Elections.

Outgoing Chief Justice rules Ministers Felix and Scott cannot sit in National Assembly as technocrats

Outgoing Chief Justice Ian Chang has ruled that Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix and Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, ought not to sit in the National Assembly as technocrats because their names were on the list of candidates for a political party.

The two were selected as Technocrat Ministers and became Members of Parliament for the coalition government following the 2015 General Elections.

Justice Chang’s contention is that while the government is allowed to name technocrat Ministers who will sit in the National Assembly as non-elected members, those persons should not be on the candidates list for the party.

The ruling is the result of a court action filed by PPP member, Desmond Morian. He was represented by former Attorney General and PPP Member of Parliament, Anil Nandall. He believes that with the ruling, the two Ministers should be prevented from sitting in the National Assembly.

But while the outgoing Chief Justice, who is already on retirement leave, ruled that the two should not sit in the National Assembly as technocrats, he offered no direction or order to the Speaker on the ruling.

 

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