'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎117r] (238/610)

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in the quarters of a town or in the towns of an electoral district, a particular
number of persons is chosen by the electors - then those persons, elected in the
first degree, meet at the centre of the electoral district, and elect from among
themselves the desired number; those elected in the second degree are the re
presentatives ”. A property qualification was also laid down for the electors.
The 2nd Mailis 1909-1911 was elected under these regulations. They were
changed by the 2nd Majlis and the 3rd Majlis 1914-1915 was appointed by uni
versal suffrage and direct election. The actual result baffled the expectations
of its authors as the composition of the 3rd was less democratic than of the 2nd
Mailis the enfranchisement of all the illiterate peasantry having placed the real
electoral power in the hands of the landlords who controlled their estates as
“ pocket boroughs
The elections are held under arrangements of the provincial
governors assisted by docal committees. Candidates are
nominated by the political parties, voting papers are distri
buted and placed by the voters in sealed ballot boxes, which
are opened and the votes counted by the local committee.
Voting is secret.
The Majlis alone can alter the Constitution. It is the sole °*
legislative authority, and the Cabinet, although appointed by
the Shah, is responsible to it, and must resign at its direction.
All supplies must be voted by the Majlis and each govern
ment department must submit its proposed budget for the
ensuing year 15 days before New Year’s day (21st March).
Concessions must be ratifisd by the Mafjlis.
Such is the theory of the Constitution which transferred the
executive power from the Shah to the Cabinet, subject to com
plete control by the Majlis, which is the source of all authority
and alone can enact legislation. TheConstitn-
This excellent paper system, however, is mutilated in tioiial Govern-
practice. The Senate has never been assembled owing to the ment mPra*.
opposition of the democrats, who regarded the nomination of
half the Senate’s members by the Shah as anti-Constitutional.
Since the revolution there have been three Majlis assembled Majlis,
all of which came to a violent end. The first which framed
the Constitution, was in session from 7th October 1906 until
♦bombarded out of existence by Muhammad Ah k.hah on 23rd
June 1908, the second from 25th November 1909 until dissolved
by a coup d'etat on 24th December 1911 to avoid the conse
quences of further refusal to comply with the Russian ulti
matums, the third from 7th July 1914 until the Turko-German
♦exodus from Tehran to Qum on 15th November 19R.
Born of the revolution the Majlis were animated by strong
party faction and were divided into numero us hostile groups , 1
1 Arruman-i-Nozzar.
* Fofreferences to these events see index under heading of ‘ Majlis.’