Law on elections amended in Mongolia

AKIPRESS.COM - The Parliament of Mongolia on December 22 approved a bill on amendments to the Law on Elections of Mongolia. The discussion on the bill began on December 19, Montsame reported.
Some highlights of the amendments include an article stating that a person found guilty of a corrupt practice shall lose their right to be nominated in elections. Confirming the new regulation, head of the General Election Committee Ts.Sodnomtseren said that "The Parliamentary Election to be held in 2020 will not allow people who are convicted of corruption charges by court to participate".
The amendments to the Election Law enables the 2020 Parliamentary Election to be held with plurality-at-large voting system, also known as multiple non-transferable vote. 76 Parliament seats will be distributed into each district and aimag as electoral constituencies across the country and the number of seats in each constituency to be determined before February 2020. Due to the plurality-at-large voting system, which was used in the general elections of 1992 and 2008, Mongolian citizens living abroad are not able to vote for the elections next year.
Also, public officials who are willing to participate in the elections as candidates should give up their current position by January 1, 2020 and internal migration is to be halted by February 1, 2020. And election campaign period was extended to 22 days from former 18-days.
The amendments also limited individuals' contributions for political campaign at MNT 5 million and legal entities' donations at MNT 20 million.
An article was revised to become "Any meeting organized by Parliament members with voters prior to the nomination process of election starts, with a view to introduce their work report for their term or any other activities before the nomination that are not restrained by this law shall not be considered as attempts to persuade voters.
Another article was added to the Election Law, stating that "Upon the request made by legal bodies authorized to represent political parties and coalitions registered their intent to participate in elections, government administrative organization in charge of state registration shall issue an online list of voters at least 20-days before the polling day."
"Media outlets to publish advertising for political campaign shall have maintained constant operations in the past 12 months preceding the day of elections and the price for paid political advertising should not exceed the average advertising price for the duration of 12 months until January 1 of the election year" as reflected in the law amendments.