The Oliy Majlis is the supreme state representative body that exercises legislative power.The Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan consists of two chambers – the Legislative Chamber (the lower chamber) and the Senate (the upper chamber).The term of powers of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan – five years.
The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan consists of one hundred fifty deputies elected according to law.
The Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan is the chamber of territorial representation and consists of members of the Senate (senators).
Members of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan are elected in equal quantity – per six persons – from the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regions and the city of Tashkent by secret ballot at relevant joint sittings of deputies of Zhokarghy Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, representative bodies of state authority of regions, districts, cities and towns from among these deputies. Sixteen members of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan are appointed by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan from among the most authoritative citizens with large practical experience and special merits in the sphere of science, art, literature, manufacture and other spheres of state and public activity.
The joint session of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan include:
1) adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, introducing amendments and addendums;
2) adoption of the Constitutional laws and laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan, introducing amendments and addendums;
3) making a decision on holding a referendum of the Republic of Uzbekistan and setting its date;
4) defining main directions of domestic and foreign policies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and adoption of strategic state programmes;
5) defining the structure and powers of the legislative, executive and judicial bodies of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
6) admission of new state formations into the Republic of Uzbekistan and approval of decisions to secede from the Republic of Uzbekistan;
7) legislative regulation of customs, currency and credit systems;
8) approval of the state budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan and control over its execution;
9) determination of taxes and other compulsory payments;
10) legislative regulation of the administrative and territorial structure, and alteration of the boundaries of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
11) formation, annulment and renaming of districts, towns, cities and regions, and alteration of their boundaries;
12) institution of state awards and titles;
13) ratification of decrees of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the formation and abolition of ministries, state committees and other bodies of state administration;
14) formation of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
15) consideration and approval, upon the nomination of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, of a nominee of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as hearing and discussing reports of the Prime Minister on urgent issues of social and economic development of the country;
16) election of an Ombudsman of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for human rights and his/her deputy;
17) consideration of the report by Accounts Chamber of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
18) ratification of a decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on declaring a state of war in case of attack on the Republic of Uzbekistan or necessity of implementation of treaty obligations on mutual defense from aggression;
19) ratification of decrees of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on announcement of general and partial mobilization, introducing, prolongation and discontinuance of the state of emergency;
20) ratification and denouncement of international treaties;
21) implementation of parliamentary oversight and other powers stipulated by the Constitution.
The exclusive powers of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall include:
1) election of the Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and his deputies, chairmen of committees and their deputies;
2) solving the issues of depriving of immunity of a deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the recommendation by the Prosecutor-General of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
3) making decisions on matters related to the organization of its activity and the internal schedule of the chamber;
4) adoption of resolutions on specific matters of political, social and economic life, as well as matters of domestic and foreign policies of the state.
The exclusive powers of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan include:
1) election of the Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and his deputies, chairmen of committees and their deputies;
2) election, upon the nomination of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
3) election, upon the nomination of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
4) election, upon the nomination of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the Higher Economic Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
5) appointment and/or relieving of the Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Protection of Nature of his duties upon the nomination of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
6) ratification of decrees of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on appointment and relieving of the Prosecutor-General of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Chairman of the Accounting Chamber of their duties;
7) ratification of decrees of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on appointment and relieving of the Chairman of the National Security Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan of his duties;
8) appointment and relieving diplomatic and other representatives of the Republic of Uzbekistan to foreign states of their duties upon the nomination of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
9) appointment and relieving the Chairman of the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan of his duties upon the nomination of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
10) upon the nomination of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan adoption of acts of amnesty;
11) upon the nomination of the Prosecutor-General of the Republic of Uzbekistan dealing with the issues of deprivation of immunity of a member of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
12) hearing reports of the Prosecutor-General of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Protection of Nature, the Chairman of the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
13) adoption of decisions on matters related to the organization of its activity and the internal schedule of the chamber;
14) adoption of resolutions on specific matters of political, social and economic life, as well as matters of domestic and foreign policies of the state.
The right to initiate legislation is vested on the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Karakalpakstan through its highest representative body of state authority, deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Higher Economic Court, the Prosecutor-General of the Republic of Uzbekistan and is exercised by introducing a bill by the subjects of the right to initiate legislation into the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.