A Legislative Council in British constitutional thought is the second-to-top tier of a government led by a Governor-General, Governor or a Lieutenant-Governor, inferior to an Executive Council and equal to or superior to a Legislative Assembly. Though the Legislative Council should in theory operate as a legislature of a governorate (not necessarily a colony) with either appointed or elected members or both, the separate development of governments in the British Empire and Commonwealth has seen the Councils evolve in to many different forms.
Where the Legislative Council functions purely as a legislature
Where the Legislative Council has assumed extra functions
Usually in this case the Legislative Council functioned as an Upper House or second chamber of a bicameral legislature operating under the Westminster System. The inferior chamber/Lower House is sometimes the Legislative Assembly.
See also
Last updated: 08-20-2005 12:39:42
