THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF
THE UNITED NATIONS

Bibashwan Chatterjee
19BJM1062
with
Debojeet Mukherjee
19BJM1063
COMPOSITION :

 Principal organ of The United Nation.

 Consists of all the members of The United
Nation.
 Each member can have maximum five
representatives.
 At present there are 193 members.

 Last joined – South Sudan.

VOTING RIGHTS :
 Power of Vote – One member, One VOTE.
 Decisions and declarations made by two-third
(2/3; majority) of the present members.
 Decisions includes the matter related to :
1. Maintenance if International Peace &
Security.
2. Election of the members :
 Economic and Social Council, and
Trusteeship Council.
VOTING RIGHTS :
 Admission of new member of the UN.
 Suspension of Rights & privileges of
membership.

 Expulsion of members.
 Operations of trusteeship system.

 Budgetary matters.
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS :

 According to Prof. Leonard’s classification of

powers and functions of General Assembly as
following :
DeliberativeFunctions
Supervisory Functions

Financial Functions

Elective Functions and

Constituent Functions
 DELIBERATIVE FUNCTIONS
 Functions regarding decisions, discussions,
studies, declarations and recommendations on
different matters :
 Matterwithin the scope of present Charter; or Relating to
functions & powers of other organs.
 Art 12 provides an exceptions to interfere with
Security Council unless it requests to do so.
 GA consider general principles of cooperation in
the maintenance of international peace and
security.
 GA may call attentions of the Security Council to
situations which are likely to endanger
international peace and security.
 DELIBERATIVE FUNCTIONS
 Art 13 GA entrusted important responsibilities
that it can initiate studies &make
recommendations for the purpose of:
 Promoting international cooperation in political field.
 Encouraging the progressive development of
international law and its codification.
 Promote the international cooperation in economic,
social, cultural, educational & health fields & assists in
the realization of HR & fundamental freedom.
 Limitations :
 Resolution & declarations are not bounding to states.
 Lack of “Domestic Jurisdictions”.
 SUPERVISORY FUNCTIONS
 The GA supervises the functions of other principal
organs & specialized agencies of UN.
 Particularly exercises sufficient control over :

 Economic and Social Council.

 Trusteeship Council.

 In face these two organs, works as a sub-ordinate

organs of the GA.
 Security Council and other organs of the UN have
to submit Annual Reports to the GA.
 FINANCIAL FUNCTIONS

 It considers and approves the budget of UN.

 Expenses of the organizations shall be borne by
the members of the GA.
 It examine and administrate the budget made
for the agencies if the UN with a view ti making
recommendations to the agencies concerned.
 “As GA control purse string, it is a potent
power”.
 ELECTIVE FUNCTIONS
 Admission of new states to UN

 Decision of the members by two-third (2/3rd ,

majority) can lead to :

 Election of new state.

 Suspension, expulsion or deprivation of its vote due to
preventive action taken by Security Council, violation of
laws of charter and failure to payments of financial
contribution respectively.
 ELECTIVE FUNCTIONS

 Election of members for other organ of the UN :

 Elects 10 non-permanent members of the Security
Council.
 Elects 54 members of Economic & Social Council.

 Elects some members of Trusteeship Council.

 Take part in the election of the Judge of the

International Court of Law.
 Also take part in the appointment of Secretary
General.
 CONSTITUENT FUNCTIONS

 Take part in the amendments of the Charter.

 The two-thirds of the majority of the members
pass the Charter.
 And, it should be rectified in accordance with
the constitutional processes, again by the
majority of two-third of the members.