IEC refers points related to election laws to Lower House Legal Committee

AMMAN — Chairman of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) Khaled Al Kalaldeh on Sunday said the commission sent technical points to the Legal Committee of the Lower House that is examining elections and political parties’ laws.

“We sent the committee some technical points that we hope will be taken into consideration,” Kalaldeh told The Jordan Times.

Some of the points, according to Kalaldeh, include inserting identifications to the Election Law to “eliminate any contradictions between the proposed texts”.

Other comments, according to Kalaldeh, were related to articles that authorise the IEC to set a polling day for some electoral districts other than the main date that was set, if the safety of the election or the public interest required such a decision”.

Some of the new comments focused on the individuals who wished to run for elections and the timing of their resignations, Kalaldeh said.

Meanwhile, the IEC chairman said the commission is currently investigating around 60 applications, including one related to money violations and 50 related to election campaign violations.

“The committee entrusted with investigating these applications will not take any decision until all aspects are examined carefully,” Kalaldeh said.

The IEC accepted a total of 4,794 candidacy applications for local polls and rejected 25. The governorate and municipal elections are scheduled for March 22.

The IEC said that the candidates whose applications were rejected would receive a notification clarifying the reasons behind the denial, adding that they are entitled under law to contest the decision by filing an appeal with the court of first instance across the Kingdom as of Thursday through Saturday, February 17-19. 

Some 4,602,135 people, including 2,437,340 women, are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.

There will be 1,845 polling stations that will, for the time being, contain 6,907 ballot boxes. The number could decrease or increase based on any future needs.

The Cabinet decided to hold governorate and municipal council elections in November. 

The Cabinet also approved the Amman Municipal Council Election Law and electoral appeals for 2021.