Chapter:3 Emergence and Meaning of Comparative Constitutional Law (Comparative Constitutional Studies)

Chapter 3:

Emergence and meaning of comparative constitutional law comparative constitutional studies. 

1. U.S.A: 

Features:

• Written constitution
• Constitutional supremacy- constitution must authorize all actions of government.
• Rigid constitution
• Provision of Federal system
• Provision of Federal supremacy
• Provision of Strict separation of power
• Provision of Congress as bicameral
• Provision of President as executive head
• Provision of Check and balance
• Provision of Based on republic system
• Provision of Judicial independence. 

2. U.K

Features:

• Unwritten constitution 
• Constitutional monarch (king as rubber stamp)
• Flexible constitution 
• Provision of Bicameral parliament
• Provision of Unitary system
• Provision of Parliamentary government 
• Provision of Rule of law, supremacy of law, equality before law.
• Provision of Independence of judiciary

India:

Features of the constitution of democratic republic of India:

• Rigid and flexible in nature
• Written constitution
• Constitutional supremacy and judicial activism
• Parliamentary form of government
• Longest constitution of the world 
• Provision of President as ceremonial head of state (Article 53,54,73,74)
• Provision of Bicameral parliament (Article 79)
• Provision of Independence of judiciary
• Provision of Fundamental rights and duties (Article 12-35), (Article 51)
• Provision of Partial separation of power
• Provision of State of emergency (Article 352)
• Federal system with unitary character (8 union territory)

Japan:

Features:

• Written constitution
• Sovereignty vested on people (Article 1)
• Constitution as supreme law (Article 98)
• Rigid constitution
• Provision of Renunciation of war (Article 9)
• Provision of Fundamental rights and duties (Article 10 to 40)
• Provision of Emperor as symbol of state (Article 1)
• Provision of Parliamentary form of government.
• Provision of Bicameral legislature (Diet)
• Provision of Independence of judiciary (Article76)

China:

Features:

• Prepared by central committee of the communist party of China:
• Adopted on 4th Dec 1982.
• The socialist constitution (Article1)
• Flexible constitution (Article 64)
• Unitary system
• All powers in peoples republic of China (Article 2)
• Provision of Centralization of power
• Provision of Control of CPC over government
• Provision of FRs and Duties (Article 33-56)
• Provision of Unicameral legislature
• Provision of President with active power
• Provision of One party rule.

South Africa:

Features:

• Constitution as supreme law (Article 2)
• Republic state (Article 1)
• 3 levels of cooperative government (Article 40)
• Provision of End of Apartheid in the constitution.
• Executive president to be elected by National Assembly.
• Provision of Bicameral parliament. (Article 44)
• Provision of Dissolution of parliament (Article 50)
• Provision of Separation of power, check and balance.

Bangladesh:

Features:

• Adopted by CA on 4th Nov. 1972
• Based on nationalism, socialism and secularism
• Provision of President as ceremonial head
• Parliamentary form of government (Article 55)
• Provision of Unicameral parliament 
• Provision of

Pakistan:

The constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973.

Features:

• Consist of 280 articles, 12 parts, 7 schedules.
• President as ceremonial head of state (Article 41)
• Provision of Parliamentary form of government, Bicameral parliament.
• Federal constitution, Rigid constitution.
• Provision of Islam as religion.
• Islamic republic state (Article 1). 
• Islamic to be state religion (Article 2).

Sri- Lanka:

The constitution of the democratic socialist Republic of Sri-Lanka, 1978.

Features:

• Executive president with sole power.
• Dissolution of parliament by president. (Article 70(1) ).
• Provision of Formation of government at president discretion. 
• Provision of Unitary constitution (Article 2)
• Sovereignty vested on people (Article 1), Buddhism (Article 9)
• Provision of Referendum 
• Provision of Parliamentary commissioner for administration. 
• Provision of Combination of rigid and flexible. 

Bhutan:

Features of the constitution of the kingdom of Bhutan 2008.

Features:

• Written constitution and sovereignty in people.
• Constitutional Monarchy as head of state (Article 2)
• Bicameral parliament
• Executive power vested in Lhengye Zhungtshog (Article 20)
• Independence of judiciary (Article 21)
• Judicial power vested in Royal court of justice.
• Fundamental rights, duties (Article 7and 8 respectively)

Maldives:

Features of constitution of Maldives, 2008.

• Provision of Constitutional supremacy
• Provision of Presidential democratic republic based on separation of power.
• Provision of Unicameral parliament (Majilis)
• Provision of Independence of judiciary.
• A non-Muslim may not be citizen of Maldives. 

Afghanistan: 

Features:

• 164 Articles, approved by 502-member assembly 
• Presidential system and cabinet headed by president. 
• Bicameral national assembly- House of people, house of elder.
• Provision of Civil and human rights (Article 34)
• Provision of Independence of judiciary.

                                                                                                                                                                                                  Prepared and Edited By: Manish Rajak & Madhu Dahal