EC sets May 7 as general election day: news source
The Election Commission (EC) has set May 7, 2023, as the general election date, with candidates required to file their applications from April 3 to 7, a news source said on Wednesday.
The source said the commission based its schedule on Section 102 of the Constitution, which stipulates that an election must be held within 45 days after the House of Representatives’ four-year term ends [which is on March 23].
According to the source, the timeline for the next general election is:
March 31 – EC announces the election date and the candidate application period.
April 3-7 – Application registration for MP candidates.
April 11 – The last day the EC announces the polling stations and list of eligible voters.
April 14 – The EC announces the list of MP candidates.
April 16 – The last day the EC sends voting notifications to each residence and appoints polling station officials.
April 26 – The last day the EC announces a change of polling stations, and also the last day that residents can add/remove their names from households.
April 30 – Early voting.
May 1-6 – The period when people can notify the EC why they cannot cast their vote on election day.
May 7 – General election.
May 8-14 – The period when people can notify the EC why they did not cast their vote.
Last week the commission barred politicians and political parties from giving any "handouts" after September 23 as they may be violating the electoral law.
In a statement, the EC said the election campaign period goes into effect on September 24 – that is 180 days before the House of Representatives’ four-year term ends on March 23.
Election candidates would be violating the organic electoral law if they distribute items to potential voters after Friday, as doing so would be construed as buying votes.
