Antigua and Barbuda's Constitution of 1981
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PDF generated: 26 Aug 2021, 16:18 constituteproject.org Antigua and Barbuda's Constitution of 1981 This complete constitution has been generated from excerpts of texts from the repository of the Comparative Constitutions Project, and distributed on constituteproject.org. constituteproject.org PDF generated: 26 Aug 2021, 16:18 Table of contents Preamble . 7 CHAPTER I: THE STATE AND THE CONSTITUTION . 7 1. The State and its territory . 7 2. Constitution is supreme law . 8 CHAPTER II: PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE INDIVIDUAL . 8 3. Fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual . 8 4. Protection of right to life . 8 5. Protection of right to personal liberty . 9 6. Protection from slavery and forced labour . 11 7. Protection from inhuman treatment . 11 8. Protection from freedom of movement . 11 9. Protection from deprivation of property . 13 10. Protection of person or property from arbitrary search or entry . 15 11. Protection of freedom of conscience . 16 12. Protection of freedom of expression including freedom of the press . 16 13. Protection of freedom of assembly and association . 17 14. Protection from discrimination on the grounds of race, sex etc . 17 15. Provision to secure protection of the law . 18 16. Derogations from fundamental rights and freedoms under emergency powers . 20 17. Protection of persons detained-under emergency laws . 21 18. Enforcement of protective provisions . 21 19. Protection from derogations from fundamental rights and freedoms generally . 22 20. Declaration of public emergency . 22 21. Interpretation and savings . 23 CHAPTER III: THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL . 24 22. Establishment of office . 24 23. Acting Governor-General . 25 24. Oaths . 25 25. Deputy to Governor-General . 25 26. Public Seal . 26 CHAPTER IV: PARLIAMENT . 26 PART 1: Establishment and composition of Parliament . 26 27. Establishment of Parliament . 26 28. Composition of the Senate . 26 29. Qualifications for appointment as Senators . 26 30. Disqualifications from appointment as Senators . 27 Antigua and Barbuda 1981 Page 2 constituteproject.org PDF generated: 26 Aug 2021, 16:18 31. Tenure of office of Senators . 28 32. Appointment of temporary Senators . 29 33. President and Vice-President . 30 34. Attendance of Attorney-General at proceedings of Senate . 31 35. Attendance at proceedings of Senate of Ministers who are members of the House . 31 36. Composition of the House . 31 37. Attendance at proceedings of the House of Ministers who are Senators . 32 38. Qualifications for election as a member of the House . 32 39. Disqualifications from election as a member of the House . 32 40. Election of members of the House . 34 41. Tenure of seats of members of the House . 34 42. Speaker and Deputy Speaker . 35 43. Clerks to Houses of Parliament and their staffs . 36 44. Determination of questions of membership . 37 45. Unqualified persons sitting or voting . 38 PART 2: Powers and Procedure of Parliament . 38 46. Power to make laws . 38 47. Alteration of this Constitution and Supreme Court Order . 38 48. Oath of allegiance by members of Parliament . 39 49. Presiding in Senate and House . 39 50. Quorom . 40 51. Voting . 40 52. Mode of exercising legislative power . 40 53. Restrictions with regard to certain financial measures . 40 54. Restrictions on powers of Senate as to money bills . 41 55. Restrictions on powers of Senate as to bills other than money bills . 41 56. Provisions relating to sections 53, 54 and 55 . 42 57. Regulation of Procedure of Houses of Parliament . 43 58. Freedom of speech in proceedings of Parliament . 43 PART 3: Summoning, Prorogation and Dissolution of Parliament . 44 59. Sessions of Parliament . 44 60. Prorogation and dissolution of Parliament . 44 61. General elections and appointment of Senators . 44 PART 4: Delimitations of Constituencies . 45 62. Constituencies . 45 63. Constituencies Boundaries Commission . 45 64. Report by Commission . 46 65. Procedure upon Report . 47 PART 5: The Ombudsman . 47 Antigua and Barbuda 1981 Page 3 constituteproject.org PDF generated: 26 Aug 2021, 16:18 66. Establishment, appointment, functions etc. of Ombudsman . 47 PART 6: The Supervisor of Elections . 48 67. Appointment, functions and removal of Supervisor of Elections . 48 CHAPTER V: EXECUTIVE POWERS . 49 PART 1: General . ..