Till Friday, March 2, proposals regarding candidates to the position of a member of the Central Elections Commission (CEC) have to be submitted by judges to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The judges from among themselves will elect one CEC member in the Plenary Session which will be held on Tuesday, March 6.

In accordance with the law “On the Central Elections Commission”, the Saeima (Parliament) not later than six months after it convenes, establishes the Central Elections Commission as an independently functioning institution. CEC consists of nine members. The chairman and seven members of the Elections Commission are elected by the Saeima, and one member – form among the judges by the Plenary Session of the Supreme Court. The Presidium of the 9th Saeima has stated that candidates to the positions of the chairman and members of the CEC have to be nominated till March 1, 2007. Therefore, the Plenary Session of the Supreme Court will elect a CEC member from among the judges.

A CEC member, according to Article 19 of the law “On the Central Elections Commission” submits proposals and questions to be reviewed in the meetings of the commission, participates in working out and adoption of instructions prior to elections and referendum, participates in the discussions of these issues, inspects work of other elections commissions upon his/her own initiative or upon assignment of the chairman and reports on the results of the inspection to the Central Election Commission, speaks to representatives of establishments and organizations and citizens on issues related to preparation and course of elections, referendums and initiation of laws.

At the present moment the member of the Central Elections Commission from the Supreme Court is the senator Valda Eilande. She has been elected the CEC member repeatedly since 1994.
 

 

Information prepared by Division of Communications of the Supreme Court

Author: Rasma Zvejniece, Manager of the Division of Communications of the Supreme Court

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 7020396, 28652211