Catalogue description Colonial Office: Commission on the Constitution of Mauritius (Banwell Commission, 1965 to 1966)

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Details of CO 961
Reference: CO 961
Title: Colonial Office: Commission on the Constitution of Mauritius (Banwell Commission, 1965 to 1966)
Description:

This series contains papers of the Commission on the Constitution of Mauritius consisting of minutes, circulated papers, submissions, memoranda and accounts of three public hearings on Jan. 10, 11 and 12, 1966.
Date: 1965-1966
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Commission on the Constitution of Mauritius, 1965-1966
Physical description: 49 file(s)
Access conditions: Subject to 30 year closure
Publication note:

The report of the Commission was published as Col 362.
Administrative / biographical background:

The Commission was appointed on Dec. 30, 1965, under the chairmanship of G.A.Banwell, to make recommendations to the Secretary of State on:-

  • (i) the electoral system and the method of allocating seats in the Legislature, most appropriate for Mauritius
  • (ii) the boundaries of electoral constituencies
The Commission was to be guided by the following principles:-
  • a) The system should be based primarily on multi-member constituencies
  • b) Voters should be registered on a common roll; there should be no communal electoral rolls
  • c) The system should give the main sections of the population an opportunity of securing fair representation of their interests, if necessary by the reservation of seats.
  • d) No encouragement should be afforded to the multiplication of small parties
  • e) There should be no provision for the nomination of members to seats in the Legislature
  • f) Provision should be made for the representation of Rodrigues

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