NOTE: - 27 -

Art. 36. The Political Assembly consists of twenty laymen conversant with National affairs and the laws of the Empire [State]. Art. 37. The members of the Political Assembly are elected in the National General Assembly by secret ballot and by an absolute majority of votes; and upon the submission of the report by the Patriarch to the Sublime Porte, they are confirmed by Imperial decree. Art. 38. The Political Assembly is dissolved in its entirety once every two years at the end of April, and is renewed at the beginning of May. The members of this Assembly may be re-elected after the lapse of two years. And although they are not eligible for re-election to the Political Assembly for the first two years, they may nonetheless be employed in any other national office. Art. 39. If one of the members of the Political Assembly is absent three times in succession without giving notice of a valid reason in writing, a letter shall be written to him by the chairman of the said Assembly inquiring as to the reason for his absence. If no answer is received, he shall be informed by a second written notice that if he does not attend the following session as well, he shall be deemed to have resigned; and if he is again absent... [text breaks off into Armeno-Turkish] ...a regulation shall be drafted by the Spiritual Assembly (*Meclis-i Ruhanî*) concerning the reform of their present state and the securing of their future condition.

E. CIVIL ASSEMBLY

Art. 36. The Civil Assembly shall consist of twenty laymen conversant with National affairs and the laws of the State [or Empire]. Art. 37. The members of the Civil Assembly shall be elected in the National General Assembly by secret ballot and by an absolute majority of votes; and upon the submission of the report by the Patriarch to the Sublime Porte, they shall be confirmed by imperial decree. Art. 38. The Civil Assembly shall be completely dissolved once every two years at the end of April, and renewed at the beginning of May. The members of this Assembly may be re-elected after two years have elapsed. And although they are not eligible for re-election to the Civil Assembly during the preceding [first] two years, they may nevertheless be employed in any other national office. Art. 39. If one of the members of the Civil Assembly, without giving notice of a valid reason in writing, fails to attend three consecutive times, a letter shall be written to him by the chairman of the said Assembly inquiring into the reason for his absence. If no answer is received, he shall be notified by a second communication that if he is not present at the subsequent session as well, he shall be considered as having resigned; and if he again fails to appear... [the text breaks off into Armeno-Turkish:] ...for the improvement of their present condition and the securing of their future condition, a set of regulations shall be drawn up by the Spiritual Council [Meclis-i Ruhani].

E. POLITICAL ASSEMBLY

Article Sixteenth. The Civil Council [Meclis-i Cismânî] is composed of twenty persons from among the laity who are conversant with national affairs and the regulations of the Sublime State. Article Seventeenth. The members of the Civil Council, being elected in the General National Assembly by secret ballot and by an absolute majority of votes, and their official record of election [mazbata] being presented by the Patriarch to the Sublime Porte, are appointed and confirmed by Imperial Decree [irâde-i seniyye]. Article Eighteenth. Once every two years, all of the said members shall disband at the end of the month of April and be renewed at the beginning of the month of May. The said members may be re-elected after two years; they cannot be elected to membership in the said Council during the first two years of their retirement, but they may be employed in all other manners of service. Article Nineteenth. In the event that one of the members of the said Council, without setting forth a sufficient reason in writing, fails to attend the Council three consecutive times, a letter shall be written by the secretarial office of the said Council to inquire into the reason; and in the event that no reply is received, upon a second letter being written, if he is not present at the following council [session], he [shall be regarded as] having resigned...