II. Comments on the text of the draft law

C. Election Commissions

Article 36 makes it clear that commission members are required to adhere to the constitution and laws when conducting their duties. They have the right to be on leave from their job to engage in commission business and cannot be dismissed or transferred to a lower position by their employer for performing their duties. Article 36(7) contains a comprehensive and clear list of the rights of an election commission member. This includes the right to access to all information and documents of the commission and the right to fully participate in the meetings and decisions of the commission. Commission members are prohibited from campaigning for or against any candidate. They also cannot publicly assess the activities of a political party that is participating in the election.