The National Assembly during Thursday’s special session approved establishment of the “supreme general commission for elections” in the first reading.
Fifty-six MPs voted in favor of the relevant bill and one voted against, out of the 57 members of the parliament attending the session at Abdullah Al-Salem Hall.
The blessed bill stipulates empowering the general commission that would function under jurisdictions of the minister of justice to oversee the polls and organize the electoral process.
The higher commission, planned to group seven Kuwaiti judges for a four-year mandate, would be tasked with examining legality of nominations for the parliamentary elections, setting rules for electoral campaigns, regulating elections’ expenses and funding resources and time to be dedicated fairly for the candidates in the audio-visual media.
Its tasks also include regulating role of civil societies, international agencies and setting locations of the electoral commissions’ venues. It is also entitled to receive complaints from voters, nominees and involved organizations and report to the public prosecution with respect of any “suspected crime” during the electoral process.
Moreover, the commission will handle elections’ results declaration and prepare a report about its assessment of the polls, a copy of which would be submitted to the minister of justice and the head of the supreme judicial council.
