Legislators approved the revised Law on the Organisation of People’s Courts and the Law on the Organisation of People’s Procuracies during a plenary session in Hanoi on November 24.

Voted in with 415 delegates in favour, 83.5 percent, the new Law on the Organisation of People’s Courts comprises 11 chapters and 98 articles detailing their function, tasks, mission and organisational structure.

The Law on the Organisation of People’s Procuracies, with 6 chapters and 101 articles, also stipulates their function, duties, working regulations and organisational structure.

Resolutions on the enforcement of the abovementioned laws were also adopted.

Deputies discussed the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, avowing that now is the right time to adopt them, since they form a crucial part of guaranteeing basic human rights in Vietnam and are in line with the 2013 Constitution.

Several national assembly members called for Vietnamese legal regulations to be brought in line with the conventions.

On the same day, the National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu received the Chairwoman of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group Jo Moraes, who attended the session.

Luu expressed his belief that her visit will strengthen the cooperation between the two countries and legislatures.

Deputies debate bill on structure of local government

Deputies at the ongoing eighth session of the 13 th National Assembly debated the draft Law on Local Government Organisation on November 24, highlighting the principle of supervising power wherever it is practiced.

The majority of deputies agreed that people’s councils should be set up alongside people’s committees in every locality to ensure residents’ close supervision over power.

Referring to Article 111 of the Constitution, Danh Ut and Trieu La Pham, representatives from Kien Giang and Ha Giang provinces, said the 2013 Constitution provides detailed regulations on local government, which should be considered fundamental principles for the development of the law.

They vetoed a proposal to only create people’s committees without people’s councils in districts and wards, saying that this will violate Item 2, Article 111 of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City deputy Tran Du Lich supported the proposal to arrange local government at two levels, including the provincial and local level.

Deputy Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, also from Ho Chi Minh City, suggested a three-level government body be maintained in rural areas, and a two-level government structure be implemented in cities.

She stated this is a great chance to revolutionise the organisation of the administrative system from the central level down to the local level.

Many deputies agreed that the bill should make good shortcomings of the Law on the Organisation of the People’s Council and People’s Committee after 11 years of implementation.

At the same time, the bill contributes to the realization of the Constitution as well as the Party’s policy to reform the organisation and operation of local government, thus enhancing self-control and the management responsibility and efficiency of local government.

This is also an opportunity to address the shortcomings and power overlaps of the current system as well as the cumbersome and inefficient state administration body. The allocation of roles, powers, tasks and responsibilities of local government, should be considered carefully, deputies said, in order to improve current overlaps.

Ho Thi Thuy, a representative of Vinh Phuc province, pointed out that the draft law had yet to specify the differences in power at each level of local government, thus failing to address the overlap and define the responsibilities of each level.

Additionally, the bill has yet to properly adapt local government’s differences in power and tasks to the natural condition, socio-economic development and management capacity of specific areas, including rural and urban areas, as well as islands.

Tran Ngoc Vinh, a representative from Hai Phong city, said more efforts should be undertaken to complete the bill and ensure its efficiency.

VNA/VNN