Armenian Justice Ministry: Some provisions of present Electoral Code are anti-constitutional

Constitution defines clear demands for CEC members: they have to have higher education as well as correspond to demands set for MPs…

YEREVAN. – Several provisions of the present Armenia’s Electoral Code, which concern the members of Central Electoral Commission (CEC), are anti-constitutional, said deputy Justice Minister of Armenia, Artur Hovhannisyan Monday, during the parliament’s discussion of amendments to the Electoral Code.

According to Hovhannisyan, the demands for the CEC members were suggested to be liberalized: “The government has initiated these amendments for several reasons. Constitution defines clear demands for CEC members: they need to have higher education as well as to correspond to demands set for MPs. There are no additional demands according to our Constitution”. 

He added that it is against the primary law, i.e. the demand of education in law.

The amendments to Electoral Code were not adopted by the Armenian parliament for the second time on Monday with 62 “for” and 2 votes “against”, whereas 63 “for” votes were needed in order to pass it.