A bill to allow for the postponement of local government elections was laid in the National Assembly and read for the first time yesterday.
The Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2010 was presented by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall. According to the Explanatory Memorandum, the Bill seeks to extend the date on which the local government elections may be held.
Local government elections have been due since 1997. One of the clauses amends the Principal Act, substituting the words “thirteen years” with “fourteen years”.
The amendment “shall apply only to the next local government elections to elect members of the local democratic organs now to be held on or before 1st December 2011 in consequence of this amendment”, the clause says. The Act shall be deemed to come into operation on 1st November, 2010.
According to the third clause, notwithstanding anything in section 2 or in any other provision of the Principal Act, the Minister may on request of a local democratic organ or on his instructions authorize the holding of the election at any time for the election of a Mayor, Deputy Mayor or a Chairman or Deputy Chairman of a local democratic organ.
