Writ of summons

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A writ of summons is a formal document issued by the monarch that enables someone to sit in a Parliament under the United Kingdom's Westminster system. At the beginning of each new Parliament, each person who has established their right to attend Parliament is issued a writ of summons. Without the writ, they are unable to sit or vote in Parliament.^[1]

In most countries, the constitutional logic of a Parliament as a "creature of the Head of State" does not exist; instead, the Parliament is considered to have an independent existence in its own right springing directly from the Constitution. Accordingly, there are no writs of summons, although members of Parliament have their memberships certified by an Election commission, returning officer or other similar body.