BY THE CHIEF EDITOR
3 May 2022, Rajagriha: His Royal and Illustrious Majesty the Rashtradhyaksh has re-established his Most Honourable Privy Council on 28 April, a day after the parliament approved of the bill to abolish the House of Councillors, the short-lived upper house of the nation's legislature.
The privy council was re-constituted with defined powers and functions as opposed to its previous tenure when then President Christopher Miller termed the council to be "one where members would speak when spoken to". In the early hours of the day on 28 April, Rashtradhyaksh issued his royal decree numbered 237/2022 to re-establish the council and nominated a nine-membered council, all of whom are to named as "His Illustrious and Royal Majesty's Privy Councilor". The primary function and duty of the privy councilors is to deliberate their views and advise the monarch in the exercise of his powers and responsibilities prescribed by the constitution and also to functions of the monarch when directed.
Among the nominated privy councilors, most are retired politicians and military personnels of whom five were members of the outgoing House of Councillors. Former President of the House of Councillors and former Minister of Culture Jayden Dagsa was appointed as the President of the Privy Council, with a rank immediately after the prime minister.
President Jayden Dagsa:
Jayden Dagsa (born 2008) is a former politician who had served in the previous privy council (May-December 2021) and was a minister in the cabinets of Prime Ministers Snagoveanu and Hazarika. He resigned from the cabinet on 22 December 2021 in a protest against the Rashtradhyaksh's control over the government demanding larger power to be ceded to the government. However, soon returned back to the politics rising through ranks to become the president of the former House of Councillors and now of that of the privy council. He also serves as Ambassador to the Philippines and as the Principal Heraldic Advisor. He holds the rank of a colonel in the army and is a recipient of several state decorations including the Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Royal Order of the Crown (Grand Commander, second class), National Service Medal among prominent.
Among the other privy councilors, include two-time former prime minister and former Governor of Basistha Stefan Marius Snagoveanu, former caretaker prime minister Phillip Joseph Pillin who has been named as the vice president of the council, former deputy prime minister Michal Nowacki, former privy council president Christopher Miller, former minister Thomas Bainbridge, former navy chief and leader of opposition Sander Koff, the dean of the diplomatic corps Arsal Abbas Mirza and vice-president of the Micronational Olympic Federation Matthew Hubbard. Of the eight privy councilors, only two are first-time members while the rest had previously served in the council.
Phillip Joseph Pillin:
Phillip Joseph Pillin (born 1996) is a former caretaker prime minister who currently serves as the vice-president of the privy council. He was first nominated to the privy council in August 2020 and has also served as a member of the House of Councillors. He is a recipient of a several honours including the Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cordon, special class), Royal Order of the Crown of Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Distinguished and Long Service Medal (fourth class), National Service Medal among prominent.
Stefan Marius Snagoveanu:
Stefan Marius Snagoveanu (born 2004) is a former politician and a two-time former prime minister. Snagoveanu had also served as the Rajyapal (non-royal head of state) of Basistha between September 2021 and March 2022. He had served as the prime minister on two different occasions, first on caretaker basis between January and March 2021; and for the second term from March till September 2021. Prior to becoming the prime minister, he was serving as the foreign minister between October 2020 and January 2021. He is believed to be one of the closest aides of the Rashtradhyaksh. He holds the rank of a general in the army and is a recipient of several top honours including Order of the Lotus (Grand Collar, special class), Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cordon, special class), Royal Order of the Crown of Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Distinguished and Long Service Medal (fourth class), National Service Medal among prominent. He is the first recipient of the highest honorific title of Raj Ratna.
Michal Nowacki:
Michal Nowacki (born 2003) is a former politician who had served as the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister for several terms becoming the longest continuously serving defence ministers in the history of the nation. He later also served as the Minister of External Affairs between January and March 2022 and was also the leader of the house of the House of Councillors. He holds the rank of a lieutenant general in the army. He is a recipient of a several honours including the Royal Order of the Crown of Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Distinguished and Long Service Medal (fourth class), National Service Medal among prominent.
Christopher Miller:
Christopher Miller (born 2004) is a former president of the privy council and was the first to hold the position. He later also served as the President of the House of Councillors in January 2022 until his complete withdrawal from Vishwamitra relinquishing his citizenship and titles. On 6 April 2022, he was revoked of all his honours based on recommendation from the Honours Forfeiture Committee on grounds of cause disgrace to the throne and the nation alongside the notorious Aenopian First Minister Leon Minister. However, the accusations were proven wrong and he was reinstated of his honours and citizenship hours before his nomination to the council. He is a recipient of a several honours including the Royal Order of the Crown of Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), National Service Medal among prominent.
Sander Koff:
Sander Koff (born 2008) is a retired military officer and former politician. He served as the 1st Chief of the Naval Staff and later quit active service to join politics. He founded the Social Democratic Party and got elected to the House of Councillors. He also served as the Leader of the Opposition in the house until losing required number of seats. He is a recipient of a several honours including the Order of Mahabali Karthika Padaka (Grand Commander, special class), Royal Order of the Crown of Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), National Service Medal among prominent. He is the youngest privy councilor in terms of age.
Thomas Bainbridge:
Thomas Bainbridge (born 1994) is a former politician who served as the Minister of Education, Science and Technology under prime minister Snagoveanu and later as Minister of Culture, Information and Broadcasting under prime minister Hazarika. He was the last leader of the Royalist Party which later merged with the National People's Congress. He was elected to the HoC in January 2022. Prior to his election to the parliament, he was also the Vice Chief of the Navy. He is a recipient of a several honours including the Royal Order of the Crown of Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), National Service Medal among prominent. He is the senior-most privy councilor in terms of age.
Arsal Abbas Mirza:
Arsal Abbas Mirza (born 2006) is a senior diplomat who is currently serving as the Ambassador to Pakistan and is also the dean of the diplomatic corps. He is a recipient of a several honours including the Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), National Service Medal among prominent.
Matthew Hubbard:
Matthew Hubbard (born 2004) is another senior diplomat who is currently serving as the Consul General in Adelaide and is the representative to the Micronational Olympic Federation. He is also a Vice President of the Micronational Olympic Federation. He is a recipient of a several honours including the Order of the Vishwamitra (Grand Cross, first class), Order of Diplomatic Service Merit (Member, second class), Royal Order of the Crown of Vishwamitra (Commander, second class lower grade), National Service Medal among prominent.
However, several former privy councilors were missing from the new privy council. These included Prime Minister Farhaz Hazarika, senior politician Rory McPhail, Speaker of the Parliament Tyler Mullins, central minister Charles Burgardt, former Deputy Prime Minister Liam Alexander, Marshal of the Air Force Matthew Griffin among prominent. This was also due to the fact that politicians, members of armed forces, judges are barred from being privy councilors while serving in their respective positions.
The privy council was first established by Rashtradhyaksh Tanishkaa Patranabish in July 2020 and remained until its dissolution on 31 December 2021.
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