ACT No. IX of l9904 AN ACT,o =nd Ihe Corutitlltion of Malto BE IT ENACI EO by the Preskient, by and with the advice and consent of the House of Represe ntatives, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

J assent.

Uoo MIFsvo BoNNICI

(L.S.)

President

8th April, 1994

ACT No. IX of l9904

AN ACT,o =nd Ihe Corutitlltion of Malto

BE IT ENACI EO by the Preskient, by and with the advice and

consent of the House of Represe ntatives, in this present Parliament

assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

I. This Act may be cited as the Consititution of Malta

(Amendment) Act, 1994 and shall be read and const rued as one with the

Constitution of Malta , hereinafter referred to as '"tbe Constitution".

Immediate ly after section 101 of the Constituti on , there shall Additioa 0(

be added th e following 5e<:tion IOIA as follows

.. "Qo-.

.,;; ",,",'.-, Adminimation of Justice which shall consist of the President ,

IOIA. (I) There shall be a CommissKm for the

A~'

wbo shall be the Chairman, and nine othe r members as

tioa 0(

follows

J""",,* .

(aJ The Chief Justice who sball be Deputy

Chairman and shall preside over the Commission in the

absence of the Chairman

the Attorney General . ~x offido

(b)

(c) two members elected for I period of fou r years

by the Judges of the Superior Court from among

themselves;

(d) two membersekctcd for I period offour years

by the Magistratcs of the Inferior Courts from among

themselves;

two members appoin ted for . period of four

(e)

years III to o ne by the Prime Minister and III 10 the other

by the Leader of the Opposition, being In each case, a

person of a' least forty five yean of age, and who enjoys

the ge neral respect of the public and 11 reputation of

integrity and ho nesty;

(f)

the Presiden t of the Chambcrof Advocat es, U

offICio.

(2) The President shall only have I c:asting vote;

wben the Deputy Chairman presides over I meeting of the

Commission he WU retain his original vole together with the

casting vote.

(3) The members elected to the Commission for

the Administrlt ion of Justice: shall be elected in accordance

with such Rules as may be prescribed by the person or

Authority rderred 10 in subsection (7) of section 46 of this

Constitution .

(4) (a) A person shall nOI be qualified 10 be

appoin ted o r continue 10 bold office as I member of the

Commiuion fo r Ihe AdmioiSlnItion of Justice

(i) if be i5 a Minister. I Parliamentary

Sec. etlry, I Member of the HOOK of

Representltives Of I memberofaloal aovcmment

lutborilY i or

(il) if he hIS been a)TJvieled of Iny crime

punishable by imprisonment fo r any te rm; o r

(iii) if he is disqualified to be elected IS a

member of the House of Re presentatives for any of

the reasons stated in paragraphs (I). (c), (d), (e),

(f). (,) or (h) of subsection (I) of section 54 of this

Constitution,

(b> The office of • member of the

Commission for lhe Administration of Justk:e shall

be~ ... me vllClnt if Iny circumstances lrise Ihlt if he were

not I member of the Commission he wou ld no! qUllify

for me mben;hip Ihe reof, and a member of the

Commbsion may abstain or be ehalJenaed in the same

circumstances as a judge of the superior court • .

(5) (a> Where a person fill s a vacancy caused by

a me mber of the Comm issio n for th e Administration of

Justice ocasinl lobesuch a me mbe r fo r any reason, other

thin the expiralion of the period of office, such person

shlll hold office for the unell pired period of ofrtce of the

member be replaces.

(b) Whe re a membe r of the Commission has

been chall enged or has abstained, the President acting in

acw rdance with his Own deliberate judgement sh,1I

appoint as asubst itute member to sit on the Commission,

a pe~n who in his opinion has as far as may be the sa me

qualities and qualifications as the member substituted.

(e) Whe re the membe~ who , are to be

elected under paragraph (e) and (d) of subsection (I) of

this section, or who are to be appointed unde r paragraph

(e) of the same subsection, are not so elected or

appointed within two weeks from a call for th e purpose

by the President , the President who in making sueh

appointment shall act in acwrdance with hi s Own

deliberate judgement shall himself appoint membe~ in

their stead who wh ere possible in his opinion shall have

the same qualities and qualifications as such membe~.

(6) (a) The Commission for the Administration

of Justice shall at all times have a oommiuee fo r

Advocates and Legal Procurators which shall have such

comp050ition, functions, powe~ and duties as may be

assigned to it by law. The Commission shall in the

exercise of any of ilS functions in relation to the

professions of Advocates and Legal Procurators act

through the said committee in such mann er and subject

to such review as may by the said law be prOvided.

(b) Notwithstandi ng the provIsions of

paragraph (a) of th is subsection , the Commission shall

refer to the Committee for Advocates and Legal

Procurators (hereinafter in this section referred to as

M

"the Commi ttee

any matter concerning the

)

misconduct of an advocate or legal procurator in the

exercise of their profession, and , saving in the case of an

appeal, the Commission shall not act otherwise than on

receipt of, and in accordance with, the findings of the

Committee in any such matter. Sohoweverthat , where a

report of findings by the Committee has not bee n

submitted to the Commission within two months from

the day on wh ich the matter was brought before the

Committee , or within such further period or periods as

the Commission may allow, which shall in no case,

except for very exceptional reasons, exceed a furthe r

four months, the Co mmission shall thereupon itself

investigate and det ermine the matter.

(e) Without prejudice to the provisions of the

foregoin g paragraph the Commission may appoint such

other committees to assist it on any matter falling within

its functions as it may dee m fit.

(7) In the exercise of their functions the me mbe~

of the Commission and of any of its comm iltees shall aet on

their individual judgement and shall not be subject to the

direction or oonlrol of any person o r authority.

(8) Subsections (2) and (3) of section 12 1 of Ihis

Constitution shall apply 10 any committee of the

Commission.

(9) There shall be a secretary of the Commission

for the Administration of Justice who shall also act as

secretary of any commiuee ofthe Commission. The Secretary

of the Commission shall be appointed by the Commission

from among public officers assigned to the Courts or from

among members of the legal professions. The Secretary shall

hold office until such timeasbisappointmenl is terminated by

the Commission.

(10) A person appoi nted as a me mber of the

Commission (or the AdminiSlTalion of Justice or any of its

committees may be removed from office by the President,

acting in accordance with the advice of the body orlhe holder

of the offia' llPf"'1inti ngsuch member, but he may be removed

only for inability to discharge the functions of his office

(whethe r arising from infinnity of mind or body or any othe r

cause) or for misbehaviour.

(11 ) The functions of the Commission for the

Administration of Justice shall be

(a) to supervise the workings of all the supe rior

and inferior couru and 10 m ake such recommendations

to the minister responsible for justice lIS to the remedies,

which appear 10 it , conductive 10 a more efficient

functining of such courts;

(b) to advise the minister responsible for justice on

any matter relating 10 the organisation of the

administration of justice;

(c) when so requesled by the Prime Minister, to

advise on any appointment to be made in tenns of

sections 96, 98 or 100 orlhis Consti tution;

(d) to draw up a code o r codes of ethics regulating

the conduct of me mbers of the judiciary;

(e) on Ihe advice of Ihe Committee for Advocates

and Legal Procuralors to draw up a code or codes of

e th ics regulating the professional conduct of members of

those professions

Provided that where such advice is not given within

s uch lime as the Commission may establish, Ihe

Commission may draw up such code orcodes withoullhe

necessi ty of such advice.

(f) to drawthealtention of any judge or magistrate

on any matter, in any court in which he sits, which may

DOl be mnducive to aD efficient and proper functioning

of such court, and to draw the attention of aDy judge or

magistrate 10 any conduct which could effect the trust

conferred by their appointment, or to any failure on his

~rt to abide by any code or codes o f etbia relating 10

him' ,

(a) 10 exe rcise, in accordance with any law ,

ditdpline over advocales and

legal

procuraton

practising their profession; and

( h)

such other function as may be assigned to it by

la • .

(12) The Commissio n for the Administration of

Justice lhall eacb year mak e a report 10 the Minister

responsible for juslice o n its activities during the previous

ca.lendar year, and shall at any time , when il deems fit or as

may be required by the said minister, male a report on any

particular matter 10 Ihe said minister.

(13) The powen of the President under any law

with regard 10 the subrogation of Judges and Magistntes and

10 the assignmen t of dUlies of Judges and Magistratesshall be

exercised on the advice of the minister responsible (orjustice,

10 however that , the minister shall, in advising the President,

act in accordance with any recommenda tio n o n the maller by

the Cbief J ustice

Provided that where the Oief Justice fails 10 make a

recommendation to the minister, and in any CI$C where the

mini ster deems it so appropriate, the minister may advise the

President on the matter, in any manner which , in the

circumstallCCS. he considers appropriate

Provided further lhan in any 5UCh case he 5hall

immediate ly publi~h in the Guetle , a notice of that fact

togethe r wi th the reasons there for , and he shall make a

",atement of such fact in the House of Representatives not

later than the second sitting immediately a(le r he has 50

advised the President.

(1 4) The qu estio n whether the Commiuion for

the Administration of Justice has validily perfo rmed any

function v~ed in it by or under this Constitution shall nol be

e nqui red into in any coun ....

l-artikoJu 101A li gej

IO IA . (I) Gflandu jkun hemm Kummissjoni gfIall-

" Kummissjoni

~":i~istraz. Am ministrazzjoni tal-Gustizzja li tkun maghmula mill-

Ijoni.IO~_

P~ident, li jkun Chairman, u minn disa' membri ohra kif

gej

0usi1ZZja.

(a) il-Prim lmflallef Ii jkun Deputy Chairman u

jippresjedi J· Kumm issjoni fin-nuqqas tac-Clulirman;

I-Avukat Generali , ex officio;

(b)

(c) iewg membri eleu; gba! tmien erba' SDiD mill

Imballfin tal.(}rati Superjuri minD fosthom sless;

(d) zewg membri eletti ghalbnicn erba' snin mill-

Magistrati tal-Orati Inferjuri rninn fosthom sless;

(e) fewg membri mahturin gha! imien erba' soin,

wiehed mill-Prim Ministru u I-idlor milI-Kap ta' 1-

Oppetizzjoni li rkull kai ikunu persuna li mill-inqas

ikollha l-eta' ta' hamsa u erbgl'lin sena, U li Ikun tgawdi J-

rispeu generali tal-pubbliku u tkun maghrufa ghall-

integrit~ U onestll taghha;

il-President tal-Kamra ta' l-Avukati, exof!icio.

(t)

(2) II-President ghandu jkoll u biss il-vat detitiv;

mela d-Deputy Chairman jippre.o;iedi fuq xi laqgba tal-

Kummissjoni, ghandujtomm il-vat originali flirnkien mal-vat

decwv.

(3)

II-membri eletti fiI-Kwnmissjoni ghall-

Amministrazzjoni tal-Gustiuja ghandhom jigu eleUi st o nd

dawk' iT-Regali Ii jislghu jitu stabbiliti mill-persuna jew

awtorita kif imsemmi fis-subanikolu (7) ta" I-anikolu 46 ta'

din il-KostitW'2joni.

(4) (a) Persuna ma tkuox kwali6kata li tiohatar

jew Ikompti Zi.omm i1-kariga ta' membru lal-

Kummissjoni ghall-Amministrazzjooi laJ-Gustizzja

(i) jell

tkun

Minislru,

Segretarju

Parlamen tari , Membru taI -Kamra lad-Deputati jew

membru ta' awtorit! ta' gvem lokali; jew

(ii) jell ikun inslab hati la' real punibbli bi

prigunerija ghal Jrull tmien li jkun ; jew

(iii) jekk iku.o skwa!jfikal mill pp elet! brlala

membru tal-Kamra tad-Deputati ghal xi wahda mir-

ragunijiel imsemmija fiI-paragrafi (a), (t), (d), (e),

(f), (g) jew (b) las-subartik olu (I ) ta ' l-artikolu 54 la'

din il-Kosliluzzjoni.

(b) Il-kariga la" membru tal-Kummissjoni

gball-Amministrazzjoni lal-Guslizzja ssir vakantj jekk

jinbolqu Cirkostanzi Ii. lieku dik il-persuna ma kenitx

membru lal-Kummissjoni , hi ma kenitx tikkwalifika biex

issir membru, u membru tal-Kummissjoni ghandu

jastjeni u jisla' jigi rikuial fl-isless Cirkostanzi bbal

imhalleftal-Qrati Superjuri.

(5) (a) Meta persuna limla' vakanza mahluqa

minn membru tal-Kummissjoni ghall-Amministrazzjoni

tal-Gustizzja li ma jibqax membru ghal xi raguni, hUe!

dik la' I-iskadenza lal-perjodu laI-kariga tiegbu, dik il-

persuna ghandha IOkkupa I,kariga ghat-tmien mhlLl

skad ut lal-kariga la' dalr;: il-membl1l li jkun issostitwiua.

(b) Meta membl1l jkun tie ritu!at jew itun

alje na , ;I-President Ii jatiu; skond il-gudizzju ticghu

innifsu hiss , jatllar bhala membru sostitwit biell joqgI'Iod

fiI-Kummissjoni ghaU -Amministnl22joni tal-Cuiilzzja

tull fe;n hu possibbli, persuna I; fiI -fehma tiegl'lu jkollha

kemm jisla' jkun I-isless kwalilajiet u kwalifiki daqs iI-

mcmbru li jkun qieghed jigi SOSlilwit .

(e)

Meta l-membri li gI'Iandhom jigu eletti

taht iI-paragrafi (e) u (d) tas-subartikolu ( I) la' dan I-

artikolu, jew mahlura lahl il-paragrafu (e) ta' l-islCSll

subartikolu, ma jigwc hekt eleni jew mahtura fi tmkn

gimghalejn minn meta ssir sejha ghalheU mill-

Presidenl, il-Presidenl I; n-gbemil la' dilr. il-halra jagixD

skond il-gudizzju tiegbu biss gbandu hu Sless jahtar

membri minflokhom I; kul1 rejn hu possibbli fil-fehma

tieghu jkollho m I-istess kwalilajiet u kwalifiki li gbandu

jkollhom dawk iI-membri.

(6) (a)

D-Kummissjoni ghall_Amministrattjoni

taI..(;uslizzja ghandha rkull tmien ikollha Kumilll ghall-

Avukati u Prokuraturi Legali 1i jJr.olIu dik il-

kompo:ti.zzjoni, u dawk il-funzjonijiet, dawk is-setghat u

dmirij iet 1i jistghu pgu assenjati Iilu b'ligi, 11-

Kummissjoni ghandha n-etertiz:zju ta' kull funzjoni

laghha relaltiva glial professjonijiet ta' Avukati u

Prokuraluri Legali, tagixxi permezz ta' J-imsemmi

kumitat b'da!r. il-mod. u 5uUett glial d.ilr. ir-revi!joni kif

dik il-ligi tisla' lipproYdi.

(b) Mintejja d-dispo:W:zjonijiet tal-paragralu

<a) ta ' dan is-$ubanikolu, il-Kummissjooi ghandha

tirrderi liIJ-Kumitat ghall-AYUkati u Prokuraturi L..cpli

(hawn ak tu 'il quddiem rdan is-subparagrafu msejjah

"il-Kumitat") kUJI kwistjoni li lirrigwarda I-im$ieba

hatina la' aYUkat jew prokuratur legali fl-eiertizzJu tal-

professjoni tagMom , u, hlie t rtat ta' appell, il-

Kummissjoni ma ghandhiex tagiDi xort'ohra fuq dilt il-

Itwisljoni hlief wara li tkun irteYiet u sltond il-

kontlutjonijiel taI-Kumitat fdit il-materja. B'dana ilIi

meta rapport tal-konlr..lutjonijiet tal-Kumitat ma jltunll

ghadu tie ppreientat lill-Kummissjoni fi tmien xahrejn

mill -jum meta !-kwistjoni tkun tressqel l-ewwe! darba

qllddiem il-Kllmitat, jew fdak il-perjodu iehOl jew

perjodi oh rajn li I· Kummi ssjoni tista ' tipperme tti , li fl-

ebda kat , hUef gha! ragunijiet etteujonali hafn a, ma

ghandhom jisliupcraw l-erba' xhllr, il·Kummissjoni

ghandha minnufih lioYestiga I-kwisljoni u taqtagbha hi

nnifisha.

(t ) BI3 hsa ra ghad-dispotiujonijiej tal-

paragrafu ta ' qabcl dan, il-Kummissjoni tiSla' taht ar

dawk il-kumitati l-ohra biex jghinuha fuq kull haga li tigi

fil . funljonijict taghh a, kif jidhrilha xicraq.

(7) Fit-twcniq ta' dmirijicthom il-membri tal-

Kummissjoni U la' xi wieT\ed mill-kumitati lagl'lha ghandhom

jagixxu skood il.gudizzju individwali taghhom u ma jkunux

suggcui gI'Iad-dirc:zzjoni Jew koolroll ta' xi persuna Jew

awtoritloh ra.

(8)

Is-subanikoli (2) u (3) ta' l-anikolu 121 ta ' din

il-Kosliluzzjoni ghandhom japplikaw ghal kull kumi lal tal-

Kummissjoni.

,~-

~:,~i~:;i:'~I~emm'u I·halra lieg.l'lu.

(10) MiD jinhalar me mbro tal-Kummissjoni ghall-

Amminslrazzjoni ta l-Guslizzja}ew ta' xi wie hed mill-kumitati

tagllha jista' jilnehha mill-ltariga ticgh u mill-President, li

jagiui skond il-parir tal-korp jcw persuna li tahtar dak il-

membru, itda dak il-membru jista ' biss jitnehha minhabba

rinkapatitil I; jweuaq id-dmirijiet tal -kariga tieghu (kemm

jekk ghal mard ko rporali jew men tal; jew ghal xi raguni ohm)

jew imgie ba hauna,

(t I) I1 -fun zjo nijiet

tal-Kummissjoni

ghall-

Amministra:aj oni 181-Gusti u ja huma

(a) li tissorvelja l-hidm8 lal-qrati superjuri u

inferjuri kollha u Ii tngl'lmel dawk ir-rakkomandaujoni-

jiet mehti ega liIl-ministru responsabbli ghaU-gustizzja

dwar it-rimedji li liI-fehma taghha jistgl'lu jwasslu glial

hidma aktar effi~ienti ta ' dawk il-qrati ;

(b) li taghti parir lill-ministru responsabbli ghall-

gustiuja dwar kull haga 1i ghandha x'taqsam ma' 1-

organinazzjoni ta ' l-amministraujoni lal-gustiuja;

(t) meta hekk milluba mill -Prim Minislru li taghti

parit ruq kul1 batra li gbandha ssi r skond I-an ikoli 96, 98

u lOO la' din il-Kostiluzzjoni ;

(d) li lifrorm ula koditi jew koditijiet ta ' etika li

jirregolaw ].imgieba lal· membri tal-gudikatura ;

(e) 'uq il.parir taJ·Kumitat ghall.Avulta ti u

Prokura lU ri Lcgali, li tifformula koditi Jew kod itijielll '

etiklli jiITCgolaw j·imgieba professjonali la' mcmbri ta '

dawk il-professjonijict

(Ma met. dalr. j).parir majinghaw rdalt it-tmim 1i

j.Kummiujoni list.' tistabbiliDi, i1-Kwrunissjoni tista'

tifformula dak il-Ir.oditi jew dawt j).koditijiet minghajr

iJ-htieil la'dak il-parir;

(I) Ii tigbcd l.ancnzjooi ta' !tull imb.lld ;c:w

magistra l fuq kull bap , fil-qorti Ii fib. bu jlr:un ipoggi, li

m. tkuru: koodutenti gI'Ial funzjonament effiqenti u

:deraq ta' dilt il-Oorti , u Ii tigbed I-attenzjoni ta' bdl

imhallcf jew magistral glial xi apr 1i jisla' jolqot i1.fiduga

li g.handu mintlabba I-kariga tiegllu, Jew g.ha.I xi nuqqu

minn naha tiegllu 1i jimxi stood xi ioditi Jew toditijict la'

cliia Ii jkun japplik. ghaJih;

(t)

li Idem la, stood !tun lip, dixxiplina fuq

avu ltati u prok uraluri legali fit-Iwc ttiq lal-professjo ni

t.ghbom ; u

Ii

(b) dawk

j[. funzjonij ie t

l.ollra

ji51ghu

jinghatawl ha b'ku li ligi.

(12) Il-Kum missjoni ghall-Amministruzjoni lal-

G ustizzja ghandha ta' kull sena taghme l rapport lilJ· minislru

responsabbti ghal l.guslizzja dwar 1-llIivilajiel taghha malul

is-sena kalendarja la' qabcl, u ghandha fkull tmien meta

he kk jidhirlha xieraq jew kif jista' jitlob l-islcss mini5tru.

taghme l rapport liII-imscmmi minislru fuq xi materja

partikolari.

(13) Is-sctghat

la' I·imhalllin u

ta' I-imhallfin u I

ir.rakkomandazzjooi Ii Ik uD saritlu mill-Prim

ltda me la I-Prim Imhallcf jonqos milli jagbmel

rakkom andanjoni IiU-minislru, u fkull kai: , meta I-ministru

he"

jqis li jkun

xieraq, il· ministru jista' jaghti parir 1ilJ·

Prcsidem , b'dak jJ·mod li, fit -Cirkostanzi , hu jid hirlu xieraq

Itda wkoll, rdak il-kai: il-Ministru gbandu

jippubblika minnufih fiI-Gatte tta avvit d war dak il-fallli fih

jagbti ,.rajunijiel tieghu glial dik I.azzjoni. u ghandujaghme l

slqanija <twIt dak il-fall fil-Kamn tad-De putati mhux &.ktlt

la rd rn ll-l ie ni sedula li tigi minn ufih wara li jkun 18 da k il-parir

liII· President.

(1 4) D-kwisljoni jeklt i1-Kummissjoni gball _

Amministrazzjoni tal.(Justizzja tkuru: qdicl valid.nlent lIi

fum:jo ni mogl'ltija lilh. bi jcw skond di n il-K05titu12joni ma

ghandhic. ligi d.amin ala minn ebda qorti ....

The rules referred to in subs«:tion (3) of section IOIA of the

Constitut ion. as amended by Ihis Act, shall be made within one month

of the coming inlo force of Ihis Act, a nd the election of the first members

of the Commission under those rules shall be held wit hi n fifteen days

thereafter.

Passed bYlbe Houseof Represenlalivesal Sitting No. 247 of the28lh Marcb . l994.

LAWRENCE G O NZI

Speaker

RIC IIARD J . CAUCHI

Clerk to the House of Representatives.

lppubblikat mid·o;Pllti .... nt ta' Hnf"""'",,*,," - Kaotil}o - l'ItbIiJA..J "1 IN ~ of Info"",IJlio~ _ J(a'iJ;"

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Milbugll IH .wnperij. tal-<i>'<:rn _ PTUt"d.., ,It.<

PriJtlinf fu ..

Pr=8c - Pri<t&