Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-05-16

Amendment to the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance (Chapter 262)

- The final draft of the Amendment to the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance (Chapter 262) has been prepared, taking into consideration the submissions made by the Elections Commission, after a Cabinet Sub‑Committee had studied the draft prepared by the Legal Draftsman, in accordance with the approval granted by the Cabinet to draft amending legislation to amend the said Ordinance.

As a result of the Attorney General having pointed out that certain sections of the draft Bill have to be adopted by a special majority in Parliament in terms of sub‑paragraph (a) of Article 75 of the Constitution, the Bill has been re‑drafted to be able to be passed by a simple majority in Parliament, subsequent to a discussion with the officers of the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government, the Attorney General's Department and the officers of the Legal Draftsman's Department.

Further amendments will be drafted by the Legal Draftsman, taking into consideration the suggestions made by the Elections Commission with regard to the mechanism of presenting candidates for Multi‑Member Wards and such amendments will be incorporated into the draft Bill at the Committee Stage of the Bill in Parliament. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Faiszer Musthapha, the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government, to publish the draft Bill in the Government Gazette and present it in Parliament and to incorporate the further amendments made by the Legal Draftsman based on the suggestions made by the Elections Commission, at the Committee Stage of the Bill in Parliament, was approved by the Cabinet.