Constitution

Israel 1958 Constitution (reviewed 2013)

Table of Contents

Basic Law. The State Comptroller (1988)

1. Essence

The State Audit shall be implemented by the State Comptroller.

2. State Audit

  1. The Comptroller will audit the economy, the property, the finances, the obligations and the administration of the State, of Government Ministries, of all enterprises, institutions, or corporations of the State, of Local Authorities, and of bodies or other institutions which were defined by law as subject to audit by the State Comptroller.
  2. The State Comptroller shall inspect the legality, integrity, managerial norms, efficiency and economy of the audited bodies, as well as any other matter which he deems necessary.

3. Duty to provide information

A body subject to State Audit will, upon request, immediately provide the State Comptroller with information, documents, explanations, or any other material which the Comptroller deems necessary for audit purposes.

4. Comptroller as Commissioner for Complaints

The State Comptroller will investigate complaints from the public about bodies and persons, as provided by law: in this capacity the State Comptroller shall bear the title ‘Commissioner for Complaints from the Public’.

5. Additional tasks

The State Comptroller shall undertake additional tasks as provided by law.

6. Accountability to the Knesset

In carrying out his functions, the State Comptroller shall be accountable only to the Knesset and not to the Cabinet.

7. Election and Term of office (Amendment 1)

  1. The State Comptroller shall be chosen by the Knesset in a secret ballot; the exact arrangements shall be set by law.
  2. The term of office of the State Comptroller shall be seven years.
  3. The State Comptroller will serve for one term only.

8. Qualifications (Amendment 1)

Any Israeli citizen, residing in Israel, shall be eligible to serve as State Comptroller; any additional qualifications may be determined by law.

9. Pledge of allegiance

The State Comptroller elected shall make and sign before the Knesset the following declaration:

‘I pledge allegiance to the State of Israel and to its laws, and will faithfully carry out my duties as State Comptroller’.

10. Budget

The budget of the State Comptroller’s Office shall be determined by the Appropriations Committee of the Knesset, upon the recommendation of the State Comptroller, and will be published together with the State Budget.

11. Salary and emoluments

The salary of the State Comptroller and other payments made to him during his term of office or subsequently, or to his survivors upon his demise, shall be determined by law or by a Knesset Resolution or by a duly authorized committee of the Knesset.

12. Contact with Knesset and issuance of reports

  1. The State Comptroller shall maintain contact with the Knesset, as determined by law.
  2. The State Comptroller shall issue reports and opinions within the scope of his duties and shall publish them, subject to any restrictions determined by law.

13. Removal from office (Amendment 2)

The State Comptroller shall not be removed from office except by one of the following:

  1. Due to reasons of health he is unable, permanently, to fulfill his functions – on the day the Knesset has resolved such by a resolution passed by a majority of the members of the Knesset, following procedure to be determined by law.
  2. Due to conduct unbecoming his status as State Comptroller – on the day the Knesset has resolved such by a resolution passed by a three-quarters majority of the members of the Knesset, following procedure to be determined by law.

14. Acting State Comptroller

If the State Comptroller is not able to fulfill his functions, an Acting Comptroller shall be appointed, in a manner and for a period as determined by law.

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