Parliament Accepts Amendment for Twice-Yearly By-Elections

The amendment, passed unanimously by all 77 attending members, has been forwarded to the Decentralization Committee for further review.

Currently, the law mandates a by-election within 60 days of a vacancy. The proposed change extends this period to 183 days, requiring by-elections to be held at least twice a year, with intervals between elections not exceeding 183 days and not being less than 120 days.

Additionally, the government has suggested specific time frames for filling vacancies in key positions. For instance, if a council president or mayor's seat becomes vacant, a by-election must occur within 14 days, and within 30 days for deputy positions. If both the mayor or council president's seat and their deputy's seat are vacant, a by-election must be held within 7 days. For situations where a vacancy disrupts the legal quorum, a by-election must occur within 60 days.

The amendment aims to address concerns raised by the Elections Commission about the frequent need for by-elections throughout the year. A similar proposal to hold annual by-elections was suggested by the 19th Parliament but did not progress.