Comparisons with international practices show that the number of members of electoral bodies depends on their powers, the area of the territory, and the population size. Studies in other countries indicate that a high number of members in a collegial body does not always contribute to faster and higher-quality work. Reducing the composition of the Central Election Commission (CEC) may lead to improved management processes, reduced expenditures from the republican budget for wages and social guarantees, as well as increased personal responsibility of commission members, the deputies assert.
The initiators emphasize that time plays a key role during elections. The need for quick responses to electoral disputes and candidate registration issues requires prompt decisions. In practice, the larger the composition of the collegial body, the harder it is to reach consensus and conduct voting.It is proposed to establish that the composition of the CEC will be formed for a term of five years and will include seven members, three of whom will be elected by the Jogorku Kenesh on the president's proposal, and four by the parliament's initiative, ensuring that no more than 70% of the members are of the same gender. It is also stipulated that the Jogorku Kenesh will be able to dismiss commission members in cases provided for by law (under current legislation, half of the members are elected on the president's proposal, and the other half on its own initiative. - Note from Kaktus.media)
Additionally, the bill proposes amendments to the Law "On the Regulations of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic" to clarify who can initiate the early dismissal of CEC members. The president will submit proposals for the early dismissal of three members, while the Jogorku Kenesh will do so for four.
This approach will allow for the completion of the personnel cycle and eliminate legal uncertainty in the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic. The proposed changes do not violate the principle of independence of the CEC, but merely clarify the mechanisms of its formation with the aim of improving the commission's work, the initiators note.It should be noted that this bill has not yet been published on the Jogorku Kenesh website for public discussion.
