Constitutional Review Commission: Bill Expected in Parliament by March Resumption

The bill aimed at legally establishing the Constitutional Review Commission will be presented to the National Assembly when work resumes on March 17 or shortly thereafter. This was confirmed by Attorney General Gavin Glover to Défi Media Group on Wednesday, specifying that it is a concise document of about three pages designed to provide statutory backing for the commission's work.

"This is to give a statutory underpinning to the commission's recommendations, similar to what occurred with the Mackay report in 1998," explains Gavin Glover. At that time, the Mauritian government had requested a report from Lord Mackay to evaluate the judicial system and propose recommendations to enhance its efficiency.

The bill will notably define the Terms of Reference, the composition of the commission, as well as its operational framework, mandate, powers, and functions. According to the Attorney General, the text could be adopted quickly, with the first, second, and third readings potentially taking place on the same day.

The Terms of Reference are currently being developed and will be submitted to the commission members once finalized. "The bill will be presented when Parliament resumes," reiterated Gavin Glover.

Last Friday, the Cabinet noted the proposed composition of the Constitutional Review Commission, which will be chaired by former Chief Justice Bernard Yeung Sik Yuen. Announced members include Yanilla Moonshiram, Satyajit Boolell, Dr. Amar Roopanand Mahadew, Dr. Jonathan Ravat, Dr. Milan Meetarbhan, Dr. Amenah Jahangeer Chojoo, Joël Edouard, Anne-Sophie Jullienne, and Danisha Sornum. The secretariat will be managed by Sabir Kadel.

It has been reported that the commission's mandate will not include electoral reform, which is being addressed separately. This direction marks a change from Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam's statements in Parliament on October 7.

In response to a question from MP Ashley Ramdass, the Prime Minister had indicated that the commission would be tasked with proposing constitutional, electoral, and governance reforms, including a review of the electoral system, strengthening fundamental rights—with the introduction of so-called new-generation rights—and comprehensive legislation on political party financing.

The exclusion of electoral reform from the commission's tasks follows Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger's view that including electoral reform would significantly delay the implementation of such reforms, deemed incompatible with the commission's work schedule.

As a reminder, in October, Navin Ramgoolam emphasized that the government's priority, as outlined in the Government Program 2025-2029, is to "revitalize democratic principles, strengthen good governance, and conduct constitutional reforms aimed at increasing public trust in the autonomy of public institutions."