The Constitution of Ebenezer

Preamble
WE, THE PEOPLE OF EBENEZER, having solemnly resolved to constitute Ebenezer into a SOVEREIGN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this eighteenth day of August, 1958, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Part I: The Union and Its Territory
Article 1 Ebenezer and union of state
1. Ebenezer, shall be a region with Union of Nation States.
2. The territory of Ebenezer shall comprise — the territories of the States; and such other territories as may be acquired.

Part II: Citizenship
Article 2: Citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution
At the commencement of this Constitution, every person who has his domicile in the territory of Ebenezer shall be a citizen of Ebenezer.

Article 3: Persons voluntarily acquiring citizenship of a foreign State not to be citizens
No person shall be a citizen of Ebenezer by virtue of article 2, if he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of any foreign State.

Article 4: Continuance of the rights of citizenship
Every person who is or is deemed to be a citizen of Ebenezer under any of the foregoing provisions of this Part shall, subject to the provisions of any law that may be made by Parliament, continue to be such citizen.

Article 5: Parliament to regulate the right of citizenship by law
Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this Part shall derogate from the power of Parliament to make any provision with respect to the acquisition and termination of citizenship and all other matters relating to citizenship.

Part III: Fundamental Rights
Article 6: Definition
In this Part, unless the context otherwise required, "the State" includes the Government and Parliament of Ebenezer and the Government and the Legislature of each of the States and all local or other authorities within the territory of Ebenezer or under the control of the Government of Ebenezer.

Article 7: Laws inconsistent with or in derogation of the fundamental rights
1. All laws in force in the territory of Ebenezer immediately before the commencement of this Constitution, in so far as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this Part, shall, to the extent of such inconsistency, be void.
2. The State shall not make any law which takes away or abridges the rights conferred by this Part and any law made in contravention of this clause shall, to the extent of the contravention, be void.

Article 8: Equality before law
The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of Ebenezer.

Article 9: Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth
1. The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.
2. No citizen shall, on ground only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to their basic fundamental rights.
3. Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for women and children.

Article 10: Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, etc.
1. All citizens shall have the right -
1.1. to freedom of speech and expression;
1.2. to assemble peacefully and without arms;
1.3. to form associations or unions; or co-operative societies;
1.4. to move freely throughout the territory of Ebenezer;
1.5. to reside and settle in any part of the territory of Ebenezer; and
1.6. to practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business.

Article 11: Protection of interests of minorities
Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of Ebenezer or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same.

Part IV: Directive Principles of State Policy
Article 12: Separation of judiciary from executive
The State shall take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the State.

Article 13: Promotion of international peace and security
The State shall endeavour to -
1. promote international peace and security;
2. maintain just and honourable relations between nations;
3. foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised people with one another;
4. encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration; and
5. recognizing the World Assembly (WA) as the world's governing body.

Article 14: Fundamental duties
It shall be the duty of every citizen of Ebenezer -

1. to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the Regional Flag;
2. to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our regional struggle for freedom;
3. to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of Ebenezer;
4. to defend the region and render national service when called upon to do so;
5. to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of Ebenezer transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;
6. to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;
7. to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures;
8. to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
9. to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
10. to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.

Part V: The Union
Chapter I: The Executive
Article 15: The President of Ebenezer
There shall be a President of Ebenezer which is the Chairman of the Elders Council, highest advisory board to the President as well as the Government.

Article 16: Executive power of the Union
1. The executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with this Constitution.
2. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the supreme command of the Defence Forces of the Union shall be vested in the President and the exercise thereof shall be regulated by law.

Article 17: Conditions of President's office
1. The President shall not be a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of the Legislature of any State.
2. The President shall not hold any other office of profit.

Article 18: Power of President to grant pardons, etc., and to suspend, remit or commute sentences
The President shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any persons convicted of any offence.

Article 19: Council of Ministers to aid and advise President
1. There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chancellor at the head to aid and advise the President who shall, in the exercise of his functions, act in accordance with such advice:
Provided that the President may require the Council of Ministers to reconsider such advice, either generally or otherwise, and the President shall act in accordance with the advice tendered after such reconsideration.
2. The question whether any, and if so what, advice was tendered by Ministers to the President shall not be inquired into in any court.

Article 20: Other provisions as to Ministers
1. The Chancellor shall be appointed by the President and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Chancellor after consulted with the President.
2. The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People.

Chapter II: Parliament
Article 21: Constitution of Parliament
There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consists of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Senate and the People's Assembly.

Article 22: The Speaker of the House
The People's Assembly shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker thereof and, so often as the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the House shall choose another member to be Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be.

Chapter III: The Union Judiciary
Article 23: Establishment and Constitution of Supreme Court
1. There shall be a Supreme Court of Ebenezer consisting of a Chief Justice of Ebenezer and, until Parliament by law prescribes a larger number, of not more than seven other Judges.

2. Every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with such of the Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts in the States as the President may deem necessary for the purpose and shall hold office until he attains the age of sixty-five years.

3. A Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be removed from his office except by an order of the President passed after an address by each House of Parliament supported by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting has been presented to the President in the same session for such removal on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.

Article 24: Power of President to consult Supreme Court
If at any time it appears to the President that a question of law or fact has arisen, or is likely to arise, which is of such a nature and of such public importance that it is expedient to obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court upon it, he may refer the question to that Court for consideration and the Court may, after such hearing as it thinks fit, report to the President its opinion thereon.