(1) The Electoral Commission shall review the boundaries of the electoral divisions referred to in section 56(1) of this Constitution at intervals of not less than two nor more than five years and may, in accordance with the provisions of this section, alter such boundaries to such extent as it considers desirable in the light of the review:
Provided that the Commission shall carry out such a review and, in accordance with the provisions of this section, alter the said boundaries whenever Parliament has made provision altering the number of electoral divisions; and in addition the Commission may at any time carry out such a review and, in accordance with the provisions of this section, alter the said boundaries to such extent as it considers desirable in consequence of the holding of a census of the population in pursuance of any law.
(2) Any provision by Parliament altering the number of electoral divisions shall come into effect when the alteration of the boundaries of the electoral divisions that, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, is consequential thereon comes into effect.
(3) Whenever an alteration of boundaries is made by the Commission under this section the following provisions shall have effect:
(a) the Chief Electoral Commissioner shall, as soon as practicable after it is made, communicate the alteration to the Prime Minister and to the Leader of the Opposition;
(b) not later than two months from the receipt of such communication, the Prime Minister shall cause the alteration to be placed before the House of Representatives for consideration by it;
(c) not later than five months from the receipt of the said communication by the Prime Minister, the House may, by resolution, either approve the alteration or refer it back to the Commission for reconsideration;
(d) upon the expiration of six months from the date on which the alteration was communicated to the Prime Minister, or, if the alteration is approved by the House, upon such approval, or, if the alteration is referred back to the Commission, upon the expiration of two months from such reference, the Chief Electoral Commissioner shall cause the alteration to be published in the gazette either in its original form or, if it has been modified by the Commission, as so modified; and
(e) any such alteration shall come into effect upon the next dissolution of Parliament after the alteration is published in the Gazette under paragraph (d) of this subsection:
Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as preventing the publication of any electoral register or any other requirement connected with the registration of voters from being carried out in accordance with the alteration, under any law for the time being in force in Malta, before that dissolution.
(4) An alteration of the boundaries of any electoral division under this section shall be made in such manner as secures that, at the time when the Commission carries out its review, the number obtained by dividing the total electorate in the division (as ascertained by reference to the electoral register in force at that time) by the number of members to be returned to the House of Representatives from that division is as nearly equal to the electoral quota as is reasonably practicable:
Provided that any such alteration may be made in such manner that the number of voters in that division is, at the time when the Commission carries out its review, greater or less than the electoral quota multiplied by the number of members to be so returned, but in no case by more than five per centum, in order to take account of geographical vicinity, differences in density of population and other relevant factors.
(5) For the purposes of any review carried out under this section, "electoral quota" means the number obtained by dividing the total electorate of Malta (as ascertained from the electoral register in force at the time when the Commission carries out that review) by the total number of members to be returned to the House of Representatives at the general election following the next dissolution of Parliament.
(6) The conduct of elections in every electoral division and of any vote taken under the provisions of section 66(3) of this Constitution shall be subject to the direction and supervision of the Electoral Commission.
