Section 19 Legislative Houses (Powers And Privileges) Act 2017

Section 19 of the Legislative Houses (Powers And Privileges) Act 2017 is about Protection of persons responsible for publications authorised by a Legislative House. It provides as follows:

(1) Any person, being a defendant in any civil or criminal proceeding instituted for or on account of or in respect of the publication by such person or by his servant, by order or under the authority of a Legislative House any report, paper, minute, votes or proceeding, may, on giving to the plaintiff or prosecutor, as the case may be, 24 hours’ written notice of his intention, bring –

(a) before the Court in which such civil or criminal proceedings are held, a certificate signed by the President or Speaker of a Legislative House stating that the report, paper, minute, votes or proceeding in respect of which such civil or criminal proceedings have been instituted were published by such person or his servant by order or under the authority of a Legislative House;

(b) an affidavit verifying such certificate.

(2) The court shall stay such criminal proceedings and every process issued therein shall be deemed to be finally determined.