45. The Office of Minister is created under Article 46 of the Constitution. Ministers are appointed from amongst members of the National Assembly and are responsible, under the direction of the President, for government business, including the administration of any Ministry or Government Department, which the President may assign to them. 46. The Office of Deputy Minister is created under Article 47 of the Constitution. Deputy Ministers are appointed by the President to assist Ministers in the performance of their functions and to exercise or perform such functions on behalf of Ministers as the President may authorize them to do. THE LEGISLATURE 47. The Legislature is established under Article 62 of the Constitution. It consists of the President and the National Assembly (Parliament). Parliament is the supreme legislative authority in Zambia. The National Assembly consists of 150 elected members, 8 nominated members and the Speaker of the National Assembly. Election of Members of Parliament is done by direct, universal adult suffrage and by secret ballot. The life of the National Assembly is five years although it may be dissolved at any time before the expiry of its legal term. If the National Assembly is dissolved, general elections will be immediately held. 48. The advent of pluralism in Zambia led to the re-emergence of organised political parties each laying its own policies before the electorate, thereby leading to well-developed diverse political views in the National Assembly, which are essential to democratic governance. Individual candidates from political parties or individuals in their own right are at liberty to contest any National Assembly elections. The candidate who polls the most votes is elected to the National Assembly. 39