WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FORMATION OF ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS?
Lusine Vasilyan
"Radiolur"
20.10.2010 17:49
The Armenian National Assembly has worked out the new edition of the
"Electoral Code" and has presented it to the Venice Commission. This
time the amendments have been initiated based on the recommendations
of PACE resolutions and the observation missions of international
organizations.
A working group headed by the National Assembly's Standing Committee
on State-Legal Issues had been established to work out amendments.
The main changes are related to the procedure of formation of
electoral commissions. The amended Electoral Code envisages seven
members of the Central Electoral Commission instead of eight. They
will be appointed by the President of the republic for the term of five
years. The candidates will be nominated by the Human Rights Defender,
the Presidents of the Chamber of Advocates and the Court of Cassation.
According to the new demands, members of the CEC should not belong
to any party. Furthermore, they should not be known for their active
social-political activity. The same requirements apply to district
electoral commissions.
According to Republican MP Hovhannes Sahakyan, the amendments will help
make the activity of the Central Electoral Commission more effective.
"In the past the central and district electoral commission were being
formed by political forces. Now they will comprise professionals and
specialists. This will help ensure better elections," he said.
Representative of the Heritage party at the CEC Zoya Tadevosyan
argues that it's unclear who will bear the main responsibility for
the formation of the commissions - the state or the political forces?
Zoya Tadevosyan considers that members of all commissions should
appointed by the President, or the authorities and the opposition
should be equally represented in all commissions.
From: A. Papazian
Lusine Vasilyan
"Radiolur"
20.10.2010 17:49
The Armenian National Assembly has worked out the new edition of the
"Electoral Code" and has presented it to the Venice Commission. This
time the amendments have been initiated based on the recommendations
of PACE resolutions and the observation missions of international
organizations.
A working group headed by the National Assembly's Standing Committee
on State-Legal Issues had been established to work out amendments.
The main changes are related to the procedure of formation of
electoral commissions. The amended Electoral Code envisages seven
members of the Central Electoral Commission instead of eight. They
will be appointed by the President of the republic for the term of five
years. The candidates will be nominated by the Human Rights Defender,
the Presidents of the Chamber of Advocates and the Court of Cassation.
According to the new demands, members of the CEC should not belong
to any party. Furthermore, they should not be known for their active
social-political activity. The same requirements apply to district
electoral commissions.
According to Republican MP Hovhannes Sahakyan, the amendments will help
make the activity of the Central Electoral Commission more effective.
"In the past the central and district electoral commission were being
formed by political forces. Now they will comprise professionals and
specialists. This will help ensure better elections," he said.
Representative of the Heritage party at the CEC Zoya Tadevosyan
argues that it's unclear who will bear the main responsibility for
the formation of the commissions - the state or the political forces?
Zoya Tadevosyan considers that members of all commissions should
appointed by the President, or the authorities and the opposition
should be equally represented in all commissions.
From: A. Papazian