TONGA

ACT OF CONSTITUTION OF TONGA
(AMENDMENT) ACT 2011

Act 1 of 2011

Arrangement of Sections
Section

1. Short Title
2. Clause 31A amended -Attorney General
3. Clause 83B amended -The Lord Chancellor
4. Clause 83C amended -Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel
4. Clause 83C amended - Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel

ACT OF CONSTITUTION OF TONGA (AMENDMENT)
ACT 2011

AN ACT TO AMEND THE ACT OF CONSTITUTION OF TONGA ACT.

I assent,
GEORGE TUPOU V,
11th February 2011.

BE IT ENACTED by the King and Legislative Assembly in the Legislature of the Kingdom as follows:

1 	Short Title

(1) This Act may be cited as the Act of Constitution of Tonga (Amendment) Act 2011.

(2) In this Act, the Act of Constitution of Tonga, as amended, is referred to as "the Constitution".

2 Clause 31A amended -Attorney General

Clause 31A of the Constitution is amended by inserting a new sub-clause (5) at the end of the clause as follows: 

"(5) In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Attorney General, and pending the appointment of an Attorney General under sub-clause (1), the King in Privy Council may appoint a suitably qualified person to be Attorney General ad interim, to hold office until a substantive appointment has been made. Any such appointee shall have all the powers and privileges and perform all the duties of Attorney General as set forth in this clause."

3 Clause 83B amended -The Lord Chancellor

Clause 83B of the Constitution is amended by inserting a new sub-clause (6) at the end of the clause as follows:

"(6) In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Lord Chancellor, and pending the appointment of a Lord Chancellor under sub-clause (1), the King in Privy Council may appoint a suitably qualified person to be Lord Chancellor ad interim, to hold office only until a substantive appointment has been made. Any such appointee shall have all the powers and privileges and perform all the duties of the Lord Chancellor as set forth in this clause and the Lord Chancellor ad interim shall also be the Chairman of the Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel constituted under clause 83C." 

4 Clause 83C amended -Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel

Clause 83C of the Constitution is amended by inserting a new sub-clause (3) at the end of the clause as follows:

"(3) At any meeting of the Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel the quorum shall be three, namely the Lord Chancellor (or anyone appointed to act as Lord Chancellor ad interim); one of the Lord Chief Justice or the Attorney General (or anyone appointed to act as Attorney General ad interim); and not less than one of the Law Lords."

Passed in the Legislative Assembly this 14th day of January 2011.