Opposition loses SEC struggle [Archives:2002/32/Front Page]

The Joint Meeting of the Opposition Parties has called upon the Supreme Election Committee (SEC) to retract its decision concerning the distribution of registration allocations among parties at the registration committees in accordance with the local election results and the referendum of the constitutions in 2001.
In a statement issued last Wednesday, opposition parties have strongly rejected SECs decision. The statement added that the new decision might be enacted on purpose to deprive the opposition parties from participating in the coming elections. According to the statement, the opposition parties have shown great adherence to criteria and agreements, which have been agreed upon with the SEC.
The SEC will be held accountable for excluding the opposition parties from participating in the elections, the statement implicitly referred to the General Peoples Conference (GPC) as the responsible party behind this action.
On the other hand, a one-week ultimatum was given to the opposition parties to present their lists in accordance with percentages that were given to the opposition parties during the former elections.
Abduh al-Janadi, a member and the Head of the Information Department of the SEC said that the door has been shut to prevent any dialogue or agreements particularly with regard to setting up registration committees. The dispute led to the postponement of the registration period one month. This has entitled the SEC to postpone the registration period till October instead of September, al-Janadi said.
During the period from August to October 2002 election committees are to be formed. Preparations are in full swing to train members of the election committees during the registration period to open the way for the registration period to start. All previous voters names will be replaced with new names that will be registered.
The registration period will last for about 120 days and will be followed by the final preparations to hold the elections that are scheduled for April 2003.

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