Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 144 (1952).djvu/383

 an equal number coming from each co-legislative body, and in the composition of which all political parties shall likewise be represented. The Commission shall be presided over by the President of Congress and shall function when Congress is in recess and during a state of national emergency.

The Permanent Commission shall have competency:

(a) To watch over the use of the exceptional attributes that are granted to the Cabinet in cases of emergency.

(b) Over the immunity of Senators and Representatives.

(c) Over the other matters attributed to it by the Law of Relations between the co-legislative bodies.

284. The Cabinet must give an account of the use of the exceptional faculties, before the Permanent Commission of Congress, at any time that the Commission so resolves, and before Congress when the state of national emergency ends.

The state of national emergency shall be regulated by a special law.

285. The Constitution can be revised only:

(a) By initiative of the people, by means of presentation to Congress of the corresponding proposition, signed, before the electoral bodies, by not less than 100,000 voters who know how to read and write and in accordance with what is established by law. When this has been done, Congress shall assemble as a single body and within the following 30 days shall without discussion vote the proper law to call an election of Delegates or a referendum.

(b) By initiative of Congress, by means of the corresponding proposition, signed by not less than one-fourth of the members of the co-legislative body to which the proponents belong.

286. Constitutional revision shall be specific, partial or complete.

In case of a specific or partial revision, proposed by popular initiative, it shall be submitted to a referendum at the first election that is held, provided that the new precept that it is sought to incorporate or the existing one that it is sought to