DEPRIVATION OF MALTESE CITIZENSHIP
(COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY) g S.L.188.02 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 188.02
DEPRIVATION OF MALTESE CITIZENSHIP 
(COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY) RULES 
5th April, 1991
LEGAL NOTICE 40 of 1991.
Title .
Citizenship (Committee of Inquiry) Rules.
Composition of the 
Committee.
2. (1) The Committee of Inquiry, hereinafter in these Rules to
be called "the Committee", shall be composed of -
( a ) a Chairman to be appointed by the Minister
responsible for matters relating to Maltese citizenship
from among the Judges of the Superior Courts or
persons who have held the office of Judge of the
Superior Courts;
( b ) two members appointed by the said Minister, one of
whom shall be a public officer, and the other a person
who is or has been qualified to be appointed
Magistrate in Malta.
(2) The Chairman and the appointed members of the
Committee shall hold office for a term of three years and under
such conditions as may be set out in their letter of appointment.
(3) The Chairman and the other members of the Committee
shall, on the expiration of the term of their office, be eligible to be
reappointed.
(4) When any vacancy in the Committee occurs, the Minister
responsible for matters relating to Maltese citizenship shall, as
soon as practicable, appoint another person to fill the vacancy.
(5) A member of the Committee may be removed from office
by the Prime Minister, but such member may be removed only for
proved inability to discharge the functions of his office (whether
arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for
misbehaviour.
(6) Save as otherwise expressly provided by these Rules, the
Committee may make its own rules and otherwise regulate its own
procedure.
Convening of 
Committee.
3.  (1) The Committee shall be convened by the Chairman as
from time to time required. 
(2) The Committee shall inquire into any case referred to it by
the Minister responsible for matters relating to Maltese citizenship
after an application for an inquiry is made by an aggrieved person
in the Form A set out in the Schedule.
Oath of office.
shall, before entering upon those duties, take and subscribe an oath
2 g S.L.188.02
DEPRIVATION OF MALTESE CITIZENSHIP
(COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY)
in the Form B set out in the Schedule.
(2) Such oath shall be taken before, and shall be deposited
with, the Attorney General.
Abstention by and 
challenge of 
members.
Cap. 12.
5.  (1) The Chairman and any member of the Committee may
abstain from sitting or may be challenged for any of the causes
mentioned in article 734 of the Code of Organization and Civil
Procedure.
(2) Any question regarding a cause of abstention or challenge,
and any question regarding procedure, shall be decided by the
Chairman of the Committee.
Secretary to the 
Committee.
6.  (1) The Minister responsible for matters relating to
Maltese citizenship shall appoint a Secretary to the Committee and
such other officers as may be necessary from time to time and shall
determine their duties.
Cap. 12.
(2) The Secretary of the Committee shall have,  mutatis
mutandis , all such powers and duties as are by the Code of
Organization and Civil Procedure vested in or imposed on the
Registrar of the Superior Courts.
Summoning of 
witnesses and 
administration of 
oaths.
Cap. 273
7.   (1) The Committee shall, unless otherwise provided under
these Rules, have all the powers as are by the Inquiries Act enjoyed
by a board appointed under that Act.
(2) Summonses for attendance of witnesses shall be in the
Form C set out in the Schedule, and shall be signed by the
Chairman or Secretary of the Committee.
Place of sittings 
and Registry of the 
Committee.
8. The Committee shall hold its sittings in one of the halls of
the Courts of Justice in Valletta.
(2)  The Expatriates and Nationality Division of the Office of
the Prime Minister shall be the Registry of the Committee, and
therein shall be deposited and kept the records of the Committee, as
well as any written communication or submission to be filed with
the Secretary thereof.
Proceedings of the 
Committee.
9.  (1) Any notice, warrant or order issued by the Committee
shall be signed by the Chairman and counter-signed by the
Secretary.
(2) The Committee may, at any time, allow any amendment to
be made in the application for the purpose of making it clearer.
(3)  Notice of the day and time appointed for the hearing of the
inquiry shall be given to the aggrieved person in the Form D set out
in the Schedule.
(4)  The aggrieved person may be assisted during the hearing of
the inquiry by a legal practitioner.
Decisions by the 
Committee.
10.  (1) Save as otherwise provided in these Rules, the
decisions of the Committee shall be taken by a majority vote.
(2) The decisions of the Committee shall be in writing and
shall be signed by the Chairman and by the Secretary, and the
DEPRIVATION OF MALTESE CITIZENSHIP
(COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY) g S.L.188.02 3
original shall be kept by the Secretary of the Committee together
with the complete record of the proceedings of each inquiry.



