Our city of Singapore has a parliamentary system of Government. She was earlier a British colony, and so, Singapore’s legal system is formulated according to the general law developed in England. The common law system is different from the civil law systems that exist in Europe as well as different other countries like Japan and Indonesia that follow the Roman law. Countries that have implemented a modified common law system are India, United States, Australia, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand.
The constitution of Singapore
The Constitution is the country’s preeminent law. It settles in fundamental flexibilities of the individual and accommodates the organs of state. Any enactment in opposition to the Constitution should, to the degree of the irregularity, be void.
The basic rights involved in the Constitution include:
- The privilege to equivalent security of the law
- The privilege to the right to speak freely and express
- The privilege to amass peaceably
- The opportunity to shape affiliations
- The right to affirm and practice one’s own religion
The Legislature
The Legislature includes the Singapore Parliament and the President. The Singapore Parliament is designed according to the Westminster arrangement of parliamentary vote based system where Members of Parliament are voted in at General Elections. The elements of Parliament incorporate making laws, controlling the state’s funds and taking up an essential/critical part to keep an eye on the activities of the ruling party and the services. There are presently 90 Members of Parliament speaking to 3 political gatherings.
The Judiciary
The Judiciary comprises of the Supreme Court, and the Subordinate Courts and the leader of the Judiciary are the Chief Justice. The highest court is the Court of Appeal which hears both standard and criminal interests from the High Court and the Subordinate Courts.
The Subordinate Courts comprise of the District Courts, Magistrates’ Courts, Juvenile Courts, Family Courts, Coroners Courts and the Small Claims Tribunal. A unique Constitutional Tribunal hears questions alluded to by the President on the impact of legal arrangements. The judge is the authority of both law and reality in Singapore. There is no jury in court trials. The present Chief Justice is Sundaresh Menon.
The Legal Profession
The legal services in Singapore are “intertwined” – the Singapore legal counselor may go about as both an Advocate and additionally a Solicitor. The Law Society of Singapore is a statutory body which is the delegate body for all attorneys in Singapore.
The Singapore Academy of Law is a statutory body whose participation contains the Bench, the Bar, corporate advice and employees of the neighborhood graduate schools. The Faculty of Law of the National University of Singapore and the School of Law of Singapore Management University direct undergrad and post-graduate law courses.
Law Enforcement
The Singapore Police Force is in charge of keeping peace and request in Singapore. Notwithstanding the Singapore Police Force, other government organizations, likewise examine offenses and implement laws in particular regions.