Parliament wants more time for electoral bill

Parliament’s legal advisers are exploring the possibility of applying to the Constitutional Court for an extension of the December 10 deadline for parliament to adopt the Electoral Amendment Bill. This would be the second application for an extension, the first being made when it was clear that parliament would not meet the initial June 10 deadline to adopt the bill. In that instance, the court extended the deadline by six months. Parliament’s senior legal adviser, Siviwe Njikela, told the National Council of Provinces select committee on security & justice on Wednesday: “There is a real likelihood that the processes of parliament will not be finalised [by December 10].”