CONSTITUTION OF ZIMBABWE as amended by Amendment No. 17 54 Quorum (1) If objection is taken by a member of the Senate present that there are present, besides the President of the Senate or the Senator presiding, fewer than eleven members and, after such interval as may be prescribed in Standing Orders, the President of the Senate or the Senator presiding ascertains that the number of members present is less than eleven, the Senate shall thereupon be adjourned in accordance with Standing Orders. (2) If objection is taken by a member of the House of Assembly present that there are present, besides the Speaker or the member presiding, fewer than twentyfive of the members and, after such interval as may be prescribed in Standing Orders, the Speaker or member presiding ascertains that the number of members present is less than twenty-five, the House of Assembly shall thereupon be adjourned in accordance with Standing Orders. [Subsection as substituted by section 16 of Act No. 5 of 2005 – Amendment No. 17] 55 Validity of proceedings Subject to the provisions of section 54, the Senate or the House of Assembly shall not be disqualified for the transaction of business by reason of any vacancy among the members thereof or the suspension of a member in accordance with section 42 or 43, and any proceedings therein shall be valid notwithstanding that some person who was not entitled so to do sat or voted in the Senate or the House of Assembly or otherwise took part in the proceedings. [Section as amended by section 26 of Act 31 of 1989 - Amendment No. 9 and section 23 of Act No. 5 of 2005 – Amendment No. 17] 56 Voting (1) Save as otherwise provided in this Constitution, all questions proposed for decision at a sitting of the Senate or the House of Assembly shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting. (2) If, upon any question before the Senate or the House of Assembly, the votes of the members are equally divided, the motion shall be lost. (3) The person presiding at a sitting of the Senate or the House of Assembly shall not have a deliberative or a casting vote. [Section as amended by section 26 of Act 31 of 1989 - Amendment No. 9 and section 23 of Act No. 5 of 2005 – Amendment No. 17] 57 Standing Orders (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and any other law, the Senate and the House of Assembly, jointly or severally as may be appropriate, may make Standing Orders with respect to— (a) the passing of Bills; (b) presiding in the Senate or the House of Assembly; (c) any matter in connection with which Standing Orders are required to be made by this Constitution; and (d) generally with respect to the regulation and orderly conduct of proceedings and business in and between the Senate and the House of Assembly. Consolidation 59 1st October, 2005