CHINA'S PERMANENT CONSTITUTION
425
Art. 42.-The House of Representatives shall be composed of members flected by the various electoral districts in proportion to the population.
Art. 43. The election of members of both Houses shall be fixed by law. Art. 44.-In no case shall one person be a member of both Houses Jimultaneously.
Art. 45. No member of either House shall hold concurrently any official bost, civil or military.
Art. 46. The acceptability of the qualifications of members of either House Lashall be determined by the House concerned.
Art. 47.-The term of office for a member of the Senate shall be six years. One third of the members shall be elected every two years.
Art. 48.-The term of office for a member of the House of Representatives shall be three years.
Art. 49.-Members of Parliament shall be relieved of the duties stipulated in Articles 47 and 48 on the day before the opening of the legal session of any succeeding and newly-elected Parliament.
Art. 50. Each House shall appoint its own Speaker and Vice-Speaker, who shall be elected from among its own members.
Art. 51.--Parliament shall itself convene, open and close its sessions, but extraordinary sessions shall be called under the following circumstances :-
(1) At the joint request of more than one-third of the members of each
House.
(2) By writs issued by the President.
Art. 52.--The ordinary session of l'arliament shall commence on the 1st day of the 8th month in each year.
Art. 53. The period of the ordinary session shall be four months, which may be extended; but the extended period shall not exceed that of an ordinary session.
Art. 54. The opening and closing of Parliament shall take place simultaneously in both Houses.
If one House suspend its session the other House shall do likewise at the same time.
When the House of Representatives is dissolved the Senate shall adjourn at the same time.
Art. 55. The two Houses shall conduct their business separately; and a bill shall not be introduced simultaneously in both Houses.
Art. 56.-Unless there be an attendance of one half or more of the total number of members of either House, no business shall be transacted.
Art. 57.-Any subject discussed in either House shall be decided by the votes of the majority of members attending the sitting, and the Speaker shall have a casting vote.
Art. 58.—A decision of Parliament shall be the decision of both Houses.
Art. 59.-The sessions of both Houses shall be held in public, but on request of the Government or by decision of the House concerned closed sessions may be held. Art. 60.-Should the House of Representatives consider that either the President or the Vice-President has committed treason he may be impeached by the decision of a majority of more than two-thirds of the members present, an attendance of more than two-thirds of the total membership of the House being necessary to i form a quorum.
Art. 61. Should the House of Representatives consider that Cabinet Ministers have violated the law, an impeachment may be instituted with the approval of two-thirds of the members present.