The Speaker of the National Assembly

The Speakership is the most important office in the House. The first business of the House is to elect a Speaker when the Assembly first meets, after a general election. The Constitution provides that the Speaker may or may not be an elected Member of the House. The Government and the Opposition normally agree on a candidate.

The main function of the Speaker is to ensure that the Standing Orders and Rules of the National Assembly are complied with. The Speaker interprets and enforces the Standing Orders and for the purpose of interpretation, recourse is often had to Erskine May’s Parliamentary Practice, responds to Members’ points of order and give rulings when necessary. His ruling cannot be challenged, except on a substantive motion to that effect, and any criticism of his actions outside Parliament may amount to contempt of the National Assembly.

Pursuant to the provisions of section 32 (5) of the Constitution, the Honourable Adrien Charles Duval has tendered his resignation as Speaker of the National Assembly by writing under his hand on 05 October 2024 addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly.

The Speakership is the most important office in the House. The first business of the House is to elect a Speaker when the Assembly first meets, after a general election. The Constitution provides that the Speaker may or may not be an elected Member of the House. The Government and the Opposition normally agree on a candidate.

The main function of the Speaker is to ensure that the Standing Orders and Rules of the National Assembly are complied with. The Speaker interprets and enforces the Standing Orders and for the purpose of interpretation, recourse is often had to Erskine May’s Parliamentary Practice, responds to Members’ points of order and give rulings when necessary. His ruling cannot be challenged, except on a substantive motion to that effect, and any criticism of his actions outside Parliament may amount to contempt of the National Assembly.

Deputy Speaker

Title Name Telephone No Fax No E-mail Address
Deputy Speaker + 230 201 3474
Ag. Confidential Secretary COOPOOSAMY Tirruben Modli (Mr)​ + 230 201 3474 tcoopoosamy@govmu.org

Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee

Title Name Telephone No Fax No E-mail Address
Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee Honourable Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem​​​ muteem@govmu.org
​Confidential Secretary DOOKHY Anita (Mrs) adookhy@govmu.org

Deputy Chairperson of Committees

Title Name Telephone No Fax No E-mail Address
Deputy Chairperson of Committees Honourable Ashley Ittoo, MP asittoo@govmu.org​​​​​

Speaker

Title Name Telephone No Fax No E-mail Address
Speaker of the National Assembly + 230 201 2306 + 230 201 3232
Adviser to Speaker DOWLUTTA Ram Ranjit (Mr)​ + 230 201 1370
​Office Management Executive LENETTE Louis Hedley (Mr)​ + 230 201 1940 llenette@govmu.org
Confidential Secretary JEETUN Lakranee (Mrs)​ + 230 201 2306,+ 230 201 1208,+ 230 201 1940 ljeetun@govmu.org
Head Office Auxiliary BEEDASSY Kuldeep (Mr) + 230 201 2470

Deputy Speaker

Title Name Telephone No Fax No E-mail Address
Deputy Speaker + 230 201 3474
Ag. Confidential Secretary COOPOOSAMY Tirruben Modli (Mr)​ + 230 201 3474 tcoopoosamy@govmu.org

Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee

Title Name Telephone No Fax No E-mail Address
Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee Honourable Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem​​​ muteem@govmu.org
​Confidential Secretary DOOKHY Anita (Mrs) adookhy@govmu.org

Deputy Chairperson of Committees

Title Name Telephone No Fax No E-mail Address
Deputy Chairperson of Committees Honourable Ashley Ittoo, MP asittoo@govmu.org​​​​​

Roles of Speaker

The Speakership is the most important office in the House.

 

The first business of the House is to elect a Speaker when the Assembly first meets, after a general election.

 

The Constitution provides that the Speaker may or may not be an elected Member ​of the House. The Government and the Opposition normally agree on a candidate.

 

However, if more than one candidate is proposed and seconded, the Assembly proceeds to elect the Speaker by secret ballot. The Speaker holds office for the duration of the life of Parliament, unless he is removed earlier on by the Assembly.

 

The Speaker is the principal office holder of the House and its spokesperson in relation to the other constituent part of Parliament – the President of the Republic. The Speaker symbolizes the authority of Parliament. The main function of the Speaker is to ensure that the Standing Orders and Rules of the National Assembly are complied with. The Speaker interprets and enforces the Standing Orders and for the purpose of interpretation, recourse is often had to Erskine May’s Parliamentary Practice, responds to Members’ points of order and give rulings when necessary. His ruling cannot be challenged, except on a substantive motion to that effect, and any criticism of his actions outside Parliament may amount to contempt of the National Assembly.

 

The Speaker decides on the admissibility of Questions to Ministers and on the choice of speakers during the debates and in so doing, he seeks to allocate the call evenly between the government and non-government Members.

 

The Speaker must maintain order during debate, which becomes sometimes unruly. The Speaker can call Members to order for the use of ‘unparliamentary language’, for misbehaviour, for constant interruptions, for irrelevance in debates and for engaging in private conversations. The Speaker may order a Member, whose conduct is grossly disorderly, to withdraw immediately from the House during the remainder of the day’s sitting. If a Member persistently flouts the authority of the Chair or wilfully obstructs the business of the House, by abusing the Rules of the Assembly, the Speaker is empowered to ‘name’ the Member.

 

One of the most important qualities of a Speaker is impartiality. He mu​st be above party politics. Once elected to the Chair, he owes his loyalty to the dignity of Parliament.

 

The Speaker has ultimate responsibility, together with the Office of the Clerk, for the administration of Parliament and the operation of the Parliament House. Furthermore, the parliamentary precincts of the National Assembly are under the control and management of the Office of the Speaker.

List of Former Speakers

Name Took Office Left Office
Sir Robert STANLEY – The First Speaker​ 26.02.1957 21.03.1960
Sir Harilal VAGHJEE – The First Mauritian Speaker​ 22.03.1960 25.05.1979
Sir Ramesh JEEWOOLALL 05.06.1979 17.06.1982
Mr Alan GANOO 18.06.1982 05.09.1983
Mr Ajay DABY 06.09.1983 14.09.1987
Mr Ajay DABY 15.09.1987 04.12.1990
Mr Iswardeo SEETARAM 04.12.1990 11.01.1996
Mr Alan GANOO 12.01.1996 17.01.1996
Sir Ramesh JEEWOOLALL 23.01.1996 02.10.2000
Mr Premnath RAMNAH, GCSK 03.10.2000 27.04.2005
Mr Rajkeswur PURRYAG, GCSK, GOSK 12.07.2005 17.05.2010
Mr Rajkeswur PURRYAG, GCSK, GOSK 18.05.2010 23.07.2012
Mr Abdool Razack PEEROO, SC, G​OSK 24.07.2012 08.11.2014
Mrs Santi Bai HANOOMANJEE, GCSK 22.12.2014 21.11.2019
Hon. Sooroojdev PHOKEER, GCSK, GOSK 21.11.2019 16.07.2024
Hon. DUVAL Adrien Charles 18.07.2024 05.10.2024

  • All
  • Courtesy call - 2024
All
  • All
  • Courtesy call - 2024
His Excellency Mr Frédéric Bontems, French Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius and His Excellency Mr Oskar Benedikt, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Mauritius paid a Courtesy Call on Honourable Adrien Charles Duval, Speaker of the National Assembly on Monday 23 July 2024

Courtesy call His Excellency Mr Frédéric Bontems, French Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius and His Excellency Mr Oskar Benedikt, Ambassador of the European Union …

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His Excellency MR. HENRY V. JARDINE, Ambassador of the United States of America  paid a Courtesy Call on Honourable Adrien Charles Duval, Speaker of the National Assembly on Wednesday  23 July 2024

Courtesy call His Excellency MR. HENRY V. JARDINE, Ambassador of the United States of America  paid a Courtesy Call on Honourable Adrien Charles Duval, Speaker …

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2024

23 July 2024

TitleDownload
Announcement 1. “Legality of the election of the Speaker-The election of the Speaker was conducted by the Clerk in accordance with sections 32(4) and 32(6) of the Constitution and the provisions of Standing Order 7(1) and (2).” DownloadPreview
Announcement 2. “Honourable Rajesh Bhagwan, Honourable Ehsan Juman and Honourable Joanna Bérenger disobeyed the order for suspension from the service of the Assembly imposed upon them in breach of the Standing Orders.” DownloadPreview
Announcement 3. “The waiving of the suspensions of Honourable Joanna Bérenger, Honourable Rajesh Bhagwan and Honourable Ehsan Juman may only be dealt with by resolution of the Assembly, following the appropriate motion being made in accordance with our Standing Orders." DownloadPreview
Announcement 4. "Questions falling under the purview of Local Authorities would be allowed in line with the past practice of the House." DownloadPreview
Announcement 5. “Suspended Members shall be allowed to have access to the precincts of the Assembly on any day other than a sitting day.” DownloadPreview
Announcement 6. “Privilege complaint against Hon. Bhagwan, Hon. Juman and Hon. Joanna Berenger arising out from an incident at the Sitting day of Thursday 18 July 2024 – Mr Speaker viewed that offences may have been committed under section 6(1)(c), (h) and (i) of the National Assembly (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act” “The Assembly resolves that the matter be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for appropriate action pursuant to Standing Order 74(4)” DownloadPreview

Presentation of the Budget 2023-2024 by Dr the Hon. Renganaden Padayachy, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development at the sitting of the Assembly on Friday 02 June 2023 at 17 00 hrs.
Visits

Parliamentary delegation led by the Hon. Adrien Charles Duval, Speaker of the National Assembly to participate in the Commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the affiliation of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the 2024 Interregional Seminar on the achievement of the SDGs for Parliaments of Developing countries in Beijing, China

Parliamentary delegation led by the Hon. Adrien Charles Duval, Speaker of the National Assembly to participate in the Commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the …

Visits

Official Visit of the Hon. Adrien Charles Duval to India – 16 to 18 August, 2024

Official Visit of the Hon. Adrien Charles Duval to India – 16 to 18 August, 2024 Communiqué 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OsR3hPq63Yhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOF3TY-nRHUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYFDq6u8UnI

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