Ballot marking still in the air as govt considers election regulations

The Jakarta Post | Sat, 12/27/2008 7:45 PM | Education
The government will soon issue two regulations that would amend Election Law provisions that state how ballots should be marked

and the standard for those holding seats in election watchdog groups.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reporters Saturday the decision to issue the government regulations in lieu of law was made in a two-hour meeting with the vice president, chair of the General Elections Commission, chair of the House of Representatives, head of the Supreme Court and the head of the Central Audit Agency.

“A government regulation in lieu of law can be issued under certain conditions. There will be a team to further discuss the content of the upcoming regulations,” Yudhoyono said.

House chair Agung Laksono said the new regulations would govern how to mark the election sheet in a voting process.

“The law now says that giving two marks, one on the face of the candidate and the second on the candidate's name, is not valid. However, this kind of double marking was allowed in the last general elections in 2004,” he said.

The other regulation, he said, would make the criteria for those eligible to become a member of the election monitoring committee more flexible. He said that the current provisions made it hard to find candidates for the monitoring body. (and)