পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বিতীয় খণ্ড).pdf/১৩৯

| 12 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ দ্বিতীয় খন্ড the said legislatures, the remaining eight to be nominated by the President. There should be no canvassing for election, and anyone found canvassing shall stand disqualified. The Senate shall be elected from amongst the following categories : (a) Former Presidents, Governors, Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers and Ministers of Central or Provincial Governments; (b) Retired judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts; (c) Members of recognized professions having a minimum standing of 15 years; (d) Retired government officers, not below the rank of Secretaries or heads of departments of the Central, or a Provincial Governments; (e) Person who have made notable contribution to any branch of learning or research; and (f)Prominent citizens who have contributed to social welfare activities. None of the persons of the above categories would be eligible for election, if he is disqualified, for the time being, for election to any office under any law or having been a judge, or a government servant, has been removed from office. There shall be at least two representatives from each of the categories and not more than ten from categories (e) and (f) taken together. The Central Lower House will frame the necessary rules for the purpose of this election. As for nominations, the President shall have full discretion, that is to say, he shall not be confined to the categories mentioned above, but he shall be bound by the minimum age qualification of fifty years and also the, disqualifications attacking to the election mentioned above. Having regard to the role this body of experienced men has to play, it seems to us that its term of office should be longer than that of the President and the Lower House at the Centre, which shall be named the HOUSE OF THE PEOPLE. We, therefore, fix a term of six years for the Senate and a term of four years each for the President, VicePresident, the House of the People, and each of the provincial legislatures, which shall be known as the LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES OF EAST AND WEST PAKISTAN. The names of persons proposed for election to the Senate should be submitted within a period fixed for the purpose, to the Speaker of the House of the People, who will constitute a small committee of representatives of that House and the two Assemblies, to scrutinize the nominations in order to see whether the persons proposed for election are eligible. Powers of the Senate. 77. The next question for consideration is as to what legislative powers should be given to the Senate. Should it be as powerful as the Senate in the United States of America, or should its legislative powers be similar to those of the House of Lords in England? We do not think we should follow the House of Lords in England. We do not think we should follow the pattern of the United States in this regard, as far as legislative powers are concerned, because the Senate there represents the various States equally and, on the basis of that representation, it has been given the same powers as the House of Representatives. We cannot possibly have such a representation, as the units of our quasi- federations are only two. Further, the object of having this House is to have a sobering effect on the Lower House elected from the general constituencies, and the composition