Law of Election to the House of Deputies

Transcription

1 Law of Election to the House of Deputies Definitions Article 1 This law shall be called the (Law of Election to the House of Deputies for the Year 2001), and shall become effective as of the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. Article 2 The following words and expressions, wherever they appear in this Law, shall have the meanings ascribed to them hereunder, unless the context indicates otherwise: Ministry: The Ministry of Interior. Minister: The Minister of Interior. Administrative Governor: The Governor, the Mutasarref or the Administrative Director. Directorate: Civil Status and Passports Department and its Directorates in the Governorates and their related offices. Jordanian: Every person, male or female, who has acquired Jordanian nationality in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Jordanian Nationality. Elector: Every Jordanian who has the right to elect members to the House of Deputies in accordance with the provisions of this Law. Voter: Every Elector who exercises his right to elect. Candidate: Every Jordanian whose application for candidature in parliamentary elections has been accepted. Deputy: Every Jordanian who has been elected to the membership of the House of Deputies. Constituency: Every part of the Kingdom for which a seat or more in the House of Deputies has been designated in accordance with the provisions of this Law. Electoral Sub-district: Every part of the Constituency for which one or more Ballot Centers has been designated. Polling and Canvassing Center: The location designated by the Administrative Governor within his Constituency for conducting the voting and canvassing process by one committee or more. 1

2 Higher Commission: The Commission supervising the election process formed in accordance with this Law. Central Committee: The Committee formed in every Governorate under a resolution of the Minister in accordance with Paragraph (A) of Article (24) of this Law. Constituency Committee: The Committee formed in every Constituency under a resolution of the Minister in accordance with Paragraph (B) of Article (24) of this Law. Special Committee: The Committee formed at the Ministry s headquarters under a resolution of the Minister in accordance with the provisions of Clause No. (1) of Paragraph (C) of Article (24) of this Law. Card: The Personal Identity Card issued by the Civil Status and Passports Department. Resident: The Jordanian whose usual residence is located in a certain constituency. Being absent from this place shall not be considered as an interruption of residence if he/she wishes to return to the said place at any time he/she selects. The same applies to Jordanians residing outside the Kingdom. The present text of the Article has become as mentioned above after adding the definition of the (Special Committee) and after defining the (Constituency Committee) in accordance with the Amended Law No. 11 of Article 3 A. Every Jordanian, who has completed 18 solar years of age on the first day of the first month of the year of elections shall have the right to elect members of the House of Deputies if his/her name is registered in one of the Final Electoral Lists. B. The right to vote shall be denied to the members of Jordanian Armed Forces, Public Security, Civil Defense and Public Intelligence throughout their actual service. C. The right to vote shall be denied to: Anyone who has been declared bankrupt and has not been rehabilitated. Anyone who has been interdicted for his person or for any other reason and such interdiction had not been removed. Anyone who has been sentenced to a prison term exceeding one year for a nonpolitical crime and has not been pardoned or rehabilitated. Any one who is retarded or insane. Article 4 An Elector may not exercise his right to vote more than once in any one election. 2

3 Article 5 Electoral Lists A- 1- The Department shall prepare the Electoral Lists which shall include the names of residents of each Constituency who have the right to elect and who had obtained a personal card through the computer under the national ID number. No Elector may be registered in more than one Electoral List. 2- Any person belonging to a certain constituency who is residing outside it shall have the right to register his/her name in its Electoral List through a written application to be presented to the Department along with the supporting documents as specified by the instructions of the Minister. B. The competent courts shall provide the Department by the 15 th of the first month of every year with a list containing a summary of final and conclusive judgments regarding bankruptcy and interdiction, as well as those imposing prison sentences exceeding one year for non-political crimes which had not been pardoned or rehabilitated. The list shall include the names and national numbers of the sentenced people. C- The Department shall take the necessary procedures to make sure of the recorded death cases in order to write off the names of the deceased electors from the relevant Electoral Lists. D- Every Elector who has changed his/her place of residence from one constituency to another shall submit a written application to the Department duly supported with documents to write off his/her name from the Electoral List of the Constituency from which he/she has moved and register the same in the Electoral List of the Constituency to which he/she has moved. E- The Department shall provide the competent Administrative Governor with at least three copies of the Electoral Lists of the Constituencies related to him within the time frame specified by the Minister for this purpose. F- The Administrative Governor, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Constituency Committee shall display the Electoral Lists provided to him by the Department in the place which he deems fit for one week from the date of receiving them and shall publish the display thereof in at least two local daily newspapers. G- Any Elector whose name was excluded from the Electoral List, or in whose record data an error occurred, may request the Department, after obtaining the personal card, that his name be included in the List or that his data be corrected within one week from the date on which the displaying of the Electoral Lists expires. H- Any Elector whose name was included in the Electoral Lists may object to the Department within the time frame specified in Paragraph (G) of this Article to the inclusion of someone else who does not have the right to vote, or to the omission of the 3

4 names of those who have such right provided that such objection shall be duly supported with the necessary information. I- 1- The Department shall decide on the applications and objections presented in accordance with the provisions of Paragraphs (G) and (H) of this Article and shall issue the relevant decisions within a period not exceeding 21 days as from the lapse of the period of submission. 2- The Department shall provide the Administrative Governors with such decisions within three days from the lapse of the period specified for issuance and the decisions shall be displayed in the same place where the Electoral Lists were displayed. J- The decisions referred to in Paragraph (H) of this Article shall be subject to appeal before the Court of First Instance in the Constituency within three days of the date of their announcement. The Court shall rule on each of the objections within ten days of its submission and shall notify the Department with its decisions within three days of the date of their issuance. K- The Department shall amend the Electoral Lists of the various Constituencies in accordance with the decisions of the Court of First Instance on the appeals presented to the Court within five days as of receiving such decisions and shall provide the Administrative Governors with further Lists within three days from the date of amending the Lists which Lists shall become the final ones. Article 6 The Electoral Lists in their final form shall be adopted for the general or byparliamentary elections. Candidature for Membership of the House of Deputies: Article 7 After the King issues his order to hold the election for the House of Deputies in accordance with Paragraph (1) of Article (34) of the Constitution, the Council of Ministers shall decide to designate a date for the election, which shall be announced by the Prime Minister and published in the Official Gazette. Article 8 A candidate for membership to the House of Deputies shall meet the following conditions: - That he has been a Jordanian national for at least ten years. - That he does not claim foreign nationality or protection. - That he is registered in one of the final Electoral Lists. - That he has completed thirty solar years of age on the day the candidature period ends. - That he has not been declared bankrupt and has not been rehabilitated. 4

5 - That he has not been interdicted and such interdiction had not been removed. - That he has not been sentenced to a prison term exceeding one year for a non-political crime and has not been pardoned. - That he does not have any material interest in any of the Government departments by virtue of a contract other than contracts of land and property tenancy. This does not apply to anyone who is a shareholder in a company owned by more than ten persons. - That he is not retarded or insane. - That he is not a relative to the King to a degree specified by a special legislation. - That he does not belong to any non-jordanian political body, party or organization. Article 9 None of those mentioned below shall have the right to nominate himself/herself for membership in the House of Deputies unless he/she submits his/her resignation prior to the date designated for candidature and such resignation was accepted: - Employees of Ministries and Government Departments and public official organizations and institutions. - Employees of Arab, Regional and International organizations. - The Mayor of Amman, the members and employees of Amman municipal council. - The chairmen of municipal councils, members thereof and employees of rural municipal councils. Article 10 Anyone shall not have the right nominate him/herself for a membership in the House of Deputies except in one Constituency. Article 11 Candidature for membership in the House of Deputies shall start thirty days before the day designated for the election and shall continue for three days; no candidature application shall be accepted after the expiry of this period. Article 12 Anyone wishing to nominate him/herself for membership in the House of Deputies shall pay the Treasury Director in the Constituency in which he wishes to nominate him/herself the amount of (JD 500) five hundred Jordanian dinars which shall be entered as income for the Treasury and shall not be returnable. Article 13 A- The candidate him/herself shall present his/her candidature application in duplicate to the Chairman of the Central Committee in the Governorate on the form specified by the Minister attaching to it the corroboratory documents and all the other information required in accordance with the provisions of this Law, regulations and the issued instructions. The candidate shall be given a receipt proving receipt of his/her application. 5

6 B- The Central Committee shall verify whether the candidate s application, documents and information conform to the conditions for candidature; accordingly, the Committee shall decide to accept or deny the application within three days of the date of submission thereof C- 1- If the Central Committee decides to reject the candidature application, it shall state the reasons for rejection and the applicant may submit an objection thereto before the Court of First Instance whose jurisdiction covers the Constituency, within three days of the date of the issuance of the decision duly supported with clear and specific data. The Court shall finally rule upon the objection within three days of its submittal and the Court s decision on the objection shall be final and unappealable before any other authority. The Court shall notify the Central Committee of its decisions as soon as they are issued. 2- The Chairman of the Central Committee shall register the candidature applications which have been accepted, or those accepted by a ruling of the Court of First Instance in a special register for each Constituency according to the time and date of submission. The Chairman of the Central Committee shall also compile a list of the names of the candidates for display in the Governorate Center and in the other places as he deems fit as soon as the candidature applications have become final and absolute. The said list shall be published in at least two local daily newspapers. D- Every Elector may appeal the acceptance of the candidature of any candidate in his/her constituency before the competent Court of Appeal within three days of the date of display of the lists of candidates provided for in Clause (2) of Paragraph (C) of this Article. The Court shall rule upon the appeal within five days from the date of submitting the appeal to the Court and the Court s decision shall be final and absolute and shall be notified to the Chairman of the Central Committee within two days of its issuance. E- The Chairman of the Central Committee shall announce any amendments to the Lists of Candidates made by virtue of rulings of the Court of Appeal as soon as he is notified thereof in the same manner that he announced the List of Candidates pursuant to the provisions of Clause (2) of Paragraph (C) of this Article. This list shall be the Final List of Candidates for the parliamentary elections. Article 14 Any candidate may withdraw his candidature application 72 hours before the Election Day by submitting a written application to the Chairman of the Central Committee and he shall announce the same in at least two local daily newspapers. Article 15 If the number of candidates in the Final List in any Constituency is equal to the number of parliamentary seats designated for that Constituency, these candidates shall be announced winners in the uncontested election. 6

7 Article 16 All petitions, objections and appeals submitted in accordance with this Law, as well as the rulings made thereon by courts, panels, committees and the Administrative Governors shall be exempted from fees and stamps. Election Publicity Campaign Article 17 A. According to the provisions of this Law, Election publicity shall be free and every Candidate may resort thereto from the date of accepting his/her candidature. B. Upon practicing the Elections Publicity, the Candidate shall: - Observe the provisions of the Constitution and the law. - Respect the freedom of thought and the opinions of others. - Observe safeguarding the national unity, national security and stability and non-discrimination among all nationals. - Refrain from practicing any elections publicity at the Ministries, and the Public Official Departments and Institutions. - Refrain from deforming the Election campaigns of other candidates whether personally or through his supporters. C- The organization and convening of Electoral meetings and the delivery of electoral speeches is prohibited in places of worship, universities, institutions of learning, public and private schools, streets and buildings occupied by Government ministries and departments and official public institutions or those under the supervision of the Government. Article 18 a- Candidates may publish advertisements and publications containing their objectives, plans and courses of action, provided that they bear the Candidate s explicit name. Such advertisements, publications and statements are exempt from fees. b- The official Government Emblem may not be used in election meetings, advertisements and publications and in all other types of writings, drawings and pictures used for the purposes of election publicity. Furthermore, the use of loud speakers outside the election centers and in transport vehicles is prohibited. c- The publication or posting of any placard, sign or election tract, including pictures, drawings and writings on the walls, telephone and electricity posts and public domains is prohibited. Places for such placards, signs or tracts shall be designated by the Amman Municipal Council and municipal councils. The local municipal authorities may at any time remove any violation of this ban at the expense of the relevant Candidate without any warning. d- Speeches, publications, advertisements, and other election publicity shall not include, directly or indirectly, any insinuation or stander of any candidate, or agitate sectarian, tribal or regional bias or any discrimination among the various groups of citizen. 7

8 e- Meetings and rallies adjacent to the election and canvassing centers are prohibited. Article 19 Employees of the Government, official public institutions, Mayor of Amman, members and employees of the municipal council, chairmen, members and employees of the municipal councils are prohibited from making election publicity at their work places for the benefit of any candidate. Article 20 In their election publicity campaigns, Candidates are prohibited from presenting gifts, contributions or monetary or in-kind assistance, or any other benefits, or from promising to provide same to a natural or judicial person, whether directly or through others. Furthermore, anyone is prohibited from soliciting such gifts, contributions, assistance, or the promise thereof from any Candidate. Election Procedures Article 21 Voting shall be general, secret and direct. Article 22 Notwithstanding the provisions of Article (7) of this Law, the Minister may designate a special elections day for certain constituencies other than the date specified by the Council of Ministers, if the safety of elections or public interest necessitate so. Article 23 A Higher Commission presided over by the Minister shall be formed to supervise the elections and to decide on all the matters presented by the central committees. The said Commission shall comprise the following members: - Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior - Director General of the Civil Status and Passports Department - A judge from the Supreme Court to be nominated by the Head of the Judiciary Council - The Director of the competent Directorate at the Ministry - The Minister shall appoint a secretary for this Committee. Article 24 A- In every Governorate, a Central Committee shall be formed by a decision of the Minister, to be chaired by the Governor and have as members, the Chief Judge of the Court of First Instance in the Governorate or any Judge of a Court of Magistrates to be nominated by the Minster of Justice in case there is no Court of First Instance, the Director of the Civil Status and Passports Department at the Governorate to carry out the tasks stipulated for in this Law. 8

9 B- By a decision of the Minister, upon the recommendations of the Governor in every constituency, a committee presided over by the an Administrative Governor and having as members a judge and the secretary the Civil Status Office shall be formed to carry out the tasks stipulated for in this Law. C- 1- By a decision of the Minister, a special committee shall be formed at the headquarters of the Ministry to be presided over by an Administrative Governor and having as members a judge to be nominated by the Minister of Justice and one of the Government employees whose grade in not less than the Second of the second Category to follow up the additional parliament seats allotted for the female winner candidates as per the provisions of distribution of constituencies and the seats allocated for each constituency and in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph (C) of Article (45) of this Law. The Minister may issue the instructions that he deems necessary to assign any other duties required from the Committee. 2- The Committee shall administer the oath stipulated for in Clause (1) of Paragraph (D) of this Article before the Minister. D- 1- The Chairman and members of the Central Committee shall administer the following oath before the Minister prior to commencing their duties: "I swear to Almighty Allah that I shall do my job with honesty, integrity and impartiality". 2- The chairmen and members of the Constituencies Committees shall administer the same oath before the Governor Article 25 A- The Head of the Constituency shall issue within 30 days from the date of preparing the final Election Lists, a decision to be published in at least two local newspapers and in any place that he might deem necessary which shall include the following: 1- Division of the Constituency into Electoral Sub-districts. 2- Designating the Polling Stations for each Electoral Sub-district and specifying the number of Ballot Boxes in each Center. B- Upon carrying out by-elections after the general elections, the Electoral Sub- Districts and the Balloting and Canvassing Centers for each thereof shall be adopted in accordance with the provision of the Paragraph (A) of this Article. Article 26 A- The Constituency Committee shall appoint the Balloting and Canvassing Committees. Every Committee shall comprise a Chairman with a grade not less than the Second, two members and one or more clerks. All should be Government employees provided that no one thereof shall have a relationship with any of the Candidates to the third degree. B- The heads, members and clerks of the Election and Canvassing Committee shall administer the oath stated in the Paragraph (C) of Article (24) of this Law before the Constituency Committee prior to commencing their duties. 9

10 C- If for certain circumstances, the Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee or any of its members fail to perform their duties or if one thereof was excluded from the process, the Constituency Committee shall appoint a replacement. Article 27 Voting begins on the designated day for general parliamentary election or by-election at 7 o clock in the morning and ends at 7 o clock that evening. Upon a decision of the Chairman of the Central Committee, voting may be extended for a period not exceeding two hours if it is necessary. Article 28 Any candidate, or whomever he delegates under a written authorization duly certified by the Administrative Governor, may be present at any Polling and Canvassing Center to observe the voting process; no Candidate, however, may have more than one delegate at the same time at any one Center. Article 29 The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall prohibit any action or attempt thereto in the Polling Center if such action is likely to influence the election process. He may also request anyone committing or attempting to commit such action to leave the Polling Center and may ask Public Security officers to evict such person by force if he refuses to leave. Article 30 Voting shall be carried out on the special form approved by the Minister which shall be stamped with the seal of the Constituency and signed by the Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee. Article 31 The features of the balloting box shall be as specified by the Minister. Article 32 Prior to the commencement of polling, the Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall present the box empty in front of the attendees. He shall then close the box and prepare a record thereof signed by him and by all the Committee members in front of the present candidates or their representatives. Article 33 Each ballot box shall be dedicated one booth at least provided with the list of candidates names in the constituency. Article 34 The elector has the right to cast his/ her ballot in any of the polling and canvassing stations in his/her constituency. 10

11 Article 35 The elector shall appear before the Balloting and Canvassing Committee in the center he chooses in his constituency to practice his right of voting as follows: The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall check the election card. The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee or a member thereof shall record the elector s name and national number in a special schedule prepared for this purpose. The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee or a member thereof shall stamp the election card in the place designated thereof. The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee or a member thereof shall hand over the ballot paper to the elector. The elector shall write the name of the candidate he wants to elect. No more than one name may be written. The elector shall return to Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee and shall place the paper in the ballot box in the presence of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee and the public. The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall hand over the election card stamped with water seal to the elector. Article 36 The illiterate voter shall elect as follows: - The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall check the election card. - The illiterate voter shall announce that he can not read or write subject to the legal liability in case his claim of illiteracy is proved incorrect. - The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall declare to the Committee members and the public that the voter is illiterate. In case the voter claim of illiteracy is proved incorrect to the Chairman, the Chairman shall decide to deprive him of the right to practice voting and confiscate his election card. - The name and national number of the illiterate voter as well as the fact of being illiterate shall be recorded in the schedule. His signature or fingerprint thereon shall be taken. - The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall request the illiterate voter to privately whisper the name of the candidate he wants to elect so to be heard only by the Chairman and two members. - The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall write the name of the candidate which the illiterate voter wants to elect on a paper and present it to the 11

12 Committee two members, then he shall hand over the same to the elector and request him to fold the ballot paper and place it in the ballot box. - The Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall hand over the election card stamped with water seal to the elector. Article 37 The Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall decide upon objections filed by candidates or their representatives with respect to the application of ballot rules in accordance with the provisions herein. The Committee decisions thereon shall be decisive. Article 38 After completion of polling process, the Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall prepare a record for every ballot box of two copies to be signed by the Committee Chairman and members and those who wish to from present candidates or their representatives, provided that such record includes the following: a- The number of electors who exercised their right to vote in such ballot box b- The number of ballot papers used in the voting and the number of unused, cancelled or damaged ballot papers and the reason thereof. Canvassing Votes & Results Announcement Article 39 The ballot box shall be opened by the Balloting and Canvassing Committee in front of the attendees. The Committee shall canvass the ballot papers contained therein and the number of votes obtained by each candidate and shall record the same on visible a board in front of the attendees. The Committee shall prepare a minute of two copies as per the form approved by the Minister for the constituency, including the number of votes obtained by each candidate. Such minute shall be signed by the Committee Chairman and members and sent to the Constituency Committee. Article 40 In case the candidate s name written on the ballot paper is not legible, the written name shall be considered for that candidate if the ballot paper contains sufficient evidences negating confusion. Article 41 a- The ballot paper shall be considered null and void in the following cases: - If the paper was not stamped with the Constituency seal or was not signed by the Chairman of the Balloting and Canvassing Committee. - If the paper contains beside the candidate s name certain statements or additions indicating the elector s name. - If it is not possible to read the candidate s name written on the ballot paper. 12

13 - If the paper contains more than one candidate name. b- The ballot box polling shall be considered cancelled if it turns out after counting ballot papers contained therein that they are 5% more or less than the number of electors in such ballot box. Article 42 The Balloting and Canvassing Committee shall decide upon objections filed by candidates during the process of votes canvassing and shall issue the decision it deems appropriate. This decision shall be final. Article 43 a- After completion of votes canvassing, each of the balloting committees shall prepare a record of two copies to be signed by the Committee Chairman and members, stipulated that such record includes the following: - Number of electors in the ballot box - Number of votes obtained by each candidate - Number of ballot papers considered as null and void by the Committee. a- The record set forth in paragraph (a) herein shall be attached with the electors lists and the ballot papers used, cancelled and unused to be immediately handed over to the constituency Committee. Article 44 The votes obtained by each candidate shall be compiled and the election final result in the constituency shall be openly announced by the Chairman of the Constituency Committee in front of candidates or their representatives. The Committee shall prepare a record of these results and send a copy thereof as well as all its decisions and election related papers/documents to the Central Committee which forwards the same to the Minister. Article 45 a- The Candidate who receives the largest number of votes for each deputy seat shall be deemed the winner of the election. If two or more Candidates for the same seat receive the same number of votes, then the election between or among them, as the case may be, shall be repeated on the day designated by the Minister, provided that this election shall take place not later than seven days as from the date of public election. b- After completion of canvassing votes and announcing the election final results in all constituencies and forwarding the same to the Minister by the election central committees in accordance with the provisions of Article (44) herein, the Minister shall refer the minutes related to these results to the Special Committee for revision and auditing the number of votes obtained by female candidates who did not win in any deputy seat allocated to the constituencies. c- 1. The Special Committee shall determine the names of female winners of additional seats allocated to women on the basis of the proportion of votes obtained by each 13

14 female candidate out of the total electors votes in the constituency in which she run herself. Based on the comparison between these proportions, the female candidates who receive the highest proportion in all constituencies without regard to being (Muslim, Christian, Circassian, or Chechen) or being from closed nomad constituencies shall be considered winners of these seats. 2. In case the proportion between two female candidates or more is equal, a lot shall be cast to select the winner female candidate. d- The Chairman of the Special Committee shall openly announce, in front of female candidates or their representatives, the names of winners of additional seats allocated to women. e- The Special Committee shall prepare a record of all taken procedures and the result it reached in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (c) & (d) of this Article and shall forward the same to the Minister. f- In case a seat allocated to women becomes vacant in the House of Deputies, it shall be occupied by sub-election in the constituency of the woman who used to occupy such seat in accordance with the provisions herein within no later than 60 days as from notifying the Prime Minister of seat vacancy by the House of Deputies, provided that candidacy for such seat is limited to those women who fulfill the candidacy requirements in that constituency. Article 46 a- The Minister shall announce the general results of the election within no later than two days as from the receipt of relevant records. These general results shall be published in the Official Gazette. b- The Minister shall issue an election certificate for each winner. c- The Ministry shall keep all election papers for a minimum period of six months. Election Crimes Article 47 Any person convicted with any of the following acts shall be imprisoned for not less than three months and not more than one year, or shall be fined for not less than two hundred dinars and not more than five hundred dinars, or both: a- Illegally keeping a card for other than himself, or seizing, hiding or damaging the same. b- Assuming the personality or name of another person with the intent of voting in the election. c- Exercising his right to vote more than once. d- Falsely claiming illiteracy or inability to write. e- Carrying a firearm or any type of weapon or any instrument perilous to public security and safety in any polling center on the Election Day, even if licensed. 14

15 f- Entering by force the polling and canvassing center to influence or delay the election procedures or to come up with wrongdoing against any of the officials in charge of the election, including buying votes. g- Affecting the freedom of election or hindering the election procedures in any way whatsoever. h- Tampering with any of the ballot boxes, electoral lists or papers prepared for voting, or steeling or destroying any of these lists or papers or not placing the same in the ballot box, or committing any act with the intention of affecting the integrity and secrecy of the election procedures. In this case, he shall be sentenced with the maximum penalty provided for in this Article without using estimated mitigation reasons. i- Committing any of the prohibited acts provided for in Articles 17, 18, 19, and 20 herein. Article 48 Anyone who seizes or tries to seize a ballot box before canvassing the votes contained therein shall be punished with hard labor for a period not less than five years and not more than ten years and shall be fined with not less than one thousand dinars and not more than five thousand dinars. Anyone who intervenes in carrying out this crime or instigates or assists in the perpetration thereof shall be sentenced with the same penalty, after being reduced from one sixth to one third. Article 49 If any committee member appointed to organize, prepare or review the electoral lists, to conduct the balloting and canvassing procedures, or to count the votes; or any employee entrusted with supervising any of these procedures in accordance with the provisions herein, committed any of the following acts, he shall be imprisoned for not less than one year and not more than three years, or shall be fined with not less than five hundred dinars and not more than one thousand dinars, or by both penalties: a- Deliberately entering in any electoral list the name of a person who is not entitled to vote in accordance with the provisions herein, or deliberately omitting from or not entering in such lists the name of any person who is entitled to register therein as a voter in accordance with the same provisions. b- Knowingly making a false statement in the application or announcement of candidacy, or in any of the statements therein, or in the date of the submission thereof, or in any of the minutes prepared in accordance with this Law, or in the filed objection to the electoral lists, or in any other document produced in accordance with the provisions of this Law. c- Illegally seizing or hiding any of the election-related documents, or committing any forgery therein, including damage, tearing or smearing thereof. d- Delaying without ground of law the time designated for the beginning of the voting procedures, stopping without justification the said procedures before the 15

16 time designated in accordance with the provisions of this Law, or lingering in any procedure thereof with the intent of hindering or delaying the same. e- Failing to open the ballot box in the presence of the candidates or their representatives before beginning the voting process to make sure that it is empty. f- Deliberately reading the ballot card incorrectly and in a manner that doesn t reflect its content. g- Refraining from the implementation of any provision herein related to the processes and procedures of voting and vote canvassing, or violating that provision with the intent of influencing the election result. Article 50 The perpetrator of any violation of the provisions herein for which no penalty has been provided for shall be imprisoned for a period not less than a month and not more than three months, or shall be fined with not less than fifty dinars and not more than 200 dinars, or both penalties. Article 51 All election crimes set forth herein shall abate by prescription after the lapse of six months as from the date of election results announcement. General Provisions Article 52 The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan shall be divided into a number of constituencies, and deputy seats allocated for each thereof shall be determined under a regulation issued for this purpose. Article 53 The Council of Ministers shall issue the regulations necessary for the implementation of the provisions herein. Article 54 The Minister shall issue the instructions necessary for the implementation of the provisions herein and the regulations issued thereunder. Article 55 The Law of Election to the House of Deputies No. 22 for the year 1986, as well as the amendments thereto, the constituencies list and seats allocated for each thereof attached to it and the regulations and instructions issued thereunder shall be repealed. Article 56 The Prime Minister and the Ministers shall be charged with the implementation of the provisions of this Law. 17/7/