CAIRO: Rights group The National Foundation for Transitional Justice presented a draft law to parliament on Monday proposing the establishment of an intermediary body to permanently oversee local elections, according to Ali El-Feel, the group’s director.
The body will ensure all citizens are granted their full political rights with regards to standing for elections and voting in all elections and referendums.
According to the draft law, a copy of which was acquired by Daily News Egypt, this body will be independent both politically and financially.
Participating members will be elected from among public figures and former judges. The draft law further stipulates that the intermediary body be funded by five percent of the annual Suez Canal revenues.
It will be tasked with organizing and monitoring presidential and legislative council elections. It will also be responsible for organizing and monitoring any referendums, in line with the constitution, as well as outlining and reviewing electoral lists.
In addition, the body will be responsible for delineating voting constituencies as well as drafting election regulations. It will further regulate campaigns by candidates and make sure that each has their own symbol.
The body will also be responsible for counting the ballots and coming up with mechanisms for drafting the final results.
It also reserves the right to suspend elections and reschedule them no more than 60 days later in case of logistical errors or in case of fraud in any of the constituencies, if proven by a court order.
The body would have the further right to take legal action against anyone who does not comply with electoral regulations.
A dialogue including all political parties and civil society organizations is underway to launch a national campaign to promote the draft law, El-Feel told Daily News Egypt.
