CHAPTER III - PART 5

Delimitation of constituencies

58. Review of constituency boundaries

(1) The Constituency Boundaries Commission (hereinafter in this section referred to as the Commission) shall, in accordance with the provisions of this section, review the number and boundaries of the constituencies into which Saint Lucia is divided and submit to the Governor General reports either—

(a) showing the constituencies into which it recommends that Saint Lucia should be divided in order to give effect to the rules set out in Schedule 2 to this Constitution; or

(b) stating that, in its opinion, no alteration is required to the existing number or boundaries of constituencies in order to give effect to those rules.

(2) Reports under subsection (1) shall be submitted by the Commission at intervals of not less than 3 nor more than 7 years:

Provided that a report under subsection (1)(b) shall not be submitted until the expiration of 6 years from the submission of the last report under that subsection.

(3) As soon as may be after the Commission has submitted a report under subsection (1)(a), the Prime Minister shall lay before the House for its approval the draft of an order by the Governor General for giving effect, whether with or without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report, and that draft order may make provisions for any matters that appear to the Prime Minister to be incidental to or consequential upon the other provisions of the draft.

(4) Where any such draft order gives effect to any such recommendations with modifications, the Prime Minister shall lay before the House together with the draft order a statement of the reasons for the modifications.

(5) If the motion for the approval of any draft order laid before the House under this section is rejected by the House, or is withdrawn by leave of that House, the Prime Minister shall amend the draft order and lay the amended draft before the House.

(6) If any draft order laid before the House under this section is approved by resolution of the House, the Prime Minister shall submit it to the Governor General who shall make an order in terms of the draft; and that order shall come into force upon the next dissolution of Parliament after it is made.

(7) The question of the validity of any order by the Governor General purporting to be made under this section and reciting that a draft thereof has been approved by resolution of the House shall not be enquired into in any court of law.

(8) There shall be such provision as may be made by Parliament for an appeal to the High Court against a recommendation or statement made to the Governor General by the Commission in pursuance of subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b).