the term of the National Council, in which instance such vacancy need not be
filled. Such election shall be held in accordance with the procedures prescribed
by the Act of Parliament referred to in Article 69(2) hereof.
Article 71 Oath or Affirmation
Every member of the National Council shall make and subscribe to an oath or solemn
affirmation before the Chief Justice, or a Judge designated by the Chief Justice for this
purpose, in the terms set out in Schedule 3 hereof.
Article 72 Qualifications of Members
No person shall be qualified to be a member of the National Council if he or she is an elected
member of a Local Authority, and unless he or she is qualified under Article 47(1)(a) to (e)
hereof to be a member of the National Assembly.
Article 73 Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
The National Council shall, before proceeding to the dispatch of any other business, elect from
its members a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson. The Chairperson, or in his or her
absence the Vice-Chairperson, shall preside over sessions of the National Council. Should
neither the Chairperson nor the ViceChairperson be present at any session, the National
Council shall elect from amongst its members a person to act as Chairperson in their absence
during that session.
Article 74 Powers and Functions
(1)
The National Council shall have the power to:
(a)
consider in terms of Article 75 hereof all bills passed by the National
Assembly;
(b)
investigate and report to the National Assembly on any subordinate
legislation, reports and documents which under law must be tabled in the
National Assembly and which are referred to it by the National Assembly for
advice;
(c) recommend legislation on matters of regional concern for submission to
and consideration by the National Assembly;
(d)
(2)
Ta ble of Conten ts
perform any other functions assigned to it by the National Assembly or by
an Act of Parliament.
The National Council shall have the power to establish committees and to adopt
its own rules and procedures for the exercise of its powers and the performance
of its functions. A committee of the National Council shall be entitled to conduct
all such hearings and collect such evidence as it considers necessary for the
exercise of the National Council's powers of review and investigations, and for
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