Parliamentary Membership Bill

Bill No. 9/1976

Read the first time on 23rd July 1976.

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 by the Parliamentary Membership Act, 1971 (Act 23 of 1971), the number of elected Members to serve in Parliament was further increased to sixty-five:

AND WHEREAS the Legislature is now desirous of providing by law that Parliament shall consist of sixty-nine 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, 1976, 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-nine elected Members

3.—(1) 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-nine elected Members in lieu of the number of elected Members prescribed by clause (1) of Article 23 of the Constitution of Singapore as modified by the Parliamentary Membership Act, 1971.

(2) After the coming into operation of this Act, for the purposes of the next general election all things may be done under the Parliamentary Elections Act (Cap. 50) as if Parliament consists of sixty-nine elected Members.

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