Indian-origin lawyer wants British Columbia legislature scrapped

An Indian-origin lawyer has filed a lawsuit seeking a ruling that declares the Senate in Canadian province British Columbia an undemocratic legislature, a media report has said.

Former British Columbia legislator Tony Bhullar filed the suit in the Supreme Court of British Columbia on Tuesday, saying the Senate violates Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, The Voice newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Bhullar said: "The federal government must take some sort of action to fashion a remedy or, in the alternative, abolish the Senate because it serves no purpose currently except that it's an expense to the taxpayers."

"Annually they spend approximately 100 million Canadian dollars ($74 million) that could be better used elsewhere to help those who are in the unfortunate situation of being homeless or suffering from drug problems or finance a new university," Bhullar said.

The lawsuit makes the governor general and the Canadian prime minister as the defendants.