Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON The NEC met on Tuesday to discuss voter registration for the May poll.
The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, 04 February 2009
Vong Sokheng
Registration to open Feb 16, amid complaints opposition appointments have been held up by Interior Ministry.
THE National Election Committee (NEC) has called for the Kingdom's 11,353 commune councillors to register for voting in the May 17 district, municipal and provincial council elections, giving those eligible from February 16 to March 9 to register with the election authority.
But lawmakers from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party appealed to the NEC during a meeting Tuesday, asking it to take action to expedite the recognition of about 200 commune councillors by the Ministry of Interior - a necessary step in order for them to be registered as voters.
According to electoral law, councillors who resign their seats can be replaced by candidates of the party's choosing, but must first be approved by the ministry.
"We need the NEC to guarantee that the SRP's eligible voters will be on the voter lists in May," said SRP lawmaker Kuoy Bunroeun.
"The legal process to gain the approval of [the Information Ministry] is supposed to take only four days, but we are concerned that the continuing delay will cause eligible voters to lose their rights at the polls."
NEC Vice President Sin Chum Bo informed all political representatives at the meeting to be careful during the period of registration, saying all eligible voters must comply with the regulations and the directives of NEC.
"We are here to get feedback from all participating political parties and are ready to help resolve the problem via the legal process," she said.
Nearly 30,000 police are expected to be deployed during the council election campaign, which is scheduled from May 1 to May 15, following a security report drafted last month by NEC Chairman Im Suosdey and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng.
Wednesday, 04 February 2009
Vong Sokheng
Registration to open Feb 16, amid complaints opposition appointments have been held up by Interior Ministry.
THE National Election Committee (NEC) has called for the Kingdom's 11,353 commune councillors to register for voting in the May 17 district, municipal and provincial council elections, giving those eligible from February 16 to March 9 to register with the election authority.
But lawmakers from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party appealed to the NEC during a meeting Tuesday, asking it to take action to expedite the recognition of about 200 commune councillors by the Ministry of Interior - a necessary step in order for them to be registered as voters.
According to electoral law, councillors who resign their seats can be replaced by candidates of the party's choosing, but must first be approved by the ministry.
"We need the NEC to guarantee that the SRP's eligible voters will be on the voter lists in May," said SRP lawmaker Kuoy Bunroeun.
"The legal process to gain the approval of [the Information Ministry] is supposed to take only four days, but we are concerned that the continuing delay will cause eligible voters to lose their rights at the polls."
NEC Vice President Sin Chum Bo informed all political representatives at the meeting to be careful during the period of registration, saying all eligible voters must comply with the regulations and the directives of NEC.
"We are here to get feedback from all participating political parties and are ready to help resolve the problem via the legal process," she said.
Nearly 30,000 police are expected to be deployed during the council election campaign, which is scheduled from May 1 to May 15, following a security report drafted last month by NEC Chairman Im Suosdey and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng.
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