Parliamentary Membership Bill

Bill No. 14/1971

Read the first time on 19th October 1971.
An Act to vary the number of elected Members of Parliament.
WHEREAS it is provided in clause (1) of Article 23 of the Constitution of Singapore that Parliament shall consist of such number of elected Members as the Legislature may by law provide, and that until other provision is so made, the number of Members shall be fifty-one:
AND WHEREAS by the Parliamentary Membership Act, 1967 (Act 31 of 1967), the number of elected Members to serve in Parliament was increased to fifty-eight:
AND WHEREAS the Legislature is now desirous of providing by law that Parliament shall consist of sixty-five elected Members:
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows: —
Short title and commencement
1.  This Act may be cited as the Parliamentary Membership Act, 1971, and shall come into operation on such date as the President may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.
Interpretation
2.  In this Act, “next general election” means the first general election of Members of Parliament after the coming into operation of this Act.
Parliament to consist of sixty-five elected Members
3.  Upon the election of Members to serve in Parliament at the next general election and thereafter until such time as other provision is made by law, Parliament shall consist of sixty-five elected Members, and so much of clause (1) of Article 23 of the Constitution of Singapore as prescribes a limit of fifty-one upon the number of elected Members shall cease to have effect.
Things permitted to be done for the purposes of the next general election
4.  After the coming into operation of this Act (Cap. 50), for the purposes of the next general election —
(a)all things may be done under the Parliamentary Elections Act as if Parliament consisted of sixty-five elected Members; and
(b)all such acts may be done or steps may be taken as appear to be necessary, expedient or proper for the said purposes, and every such act or step if done or taken bona fide for the said purposes shall, unless otherwise provided for in any other written law, be deemed to have been done or taken under this Act.