The Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC) headed by Commissioner James Flomoyan has disclosed that the pending 2011 general and Presidential elections could face a serious setback if the bills currently before the National Legislature are not passed on time.

The commission however indicated that they have submitted to the lower house three sensitive bills, which according to them, have a significant relevance on the mechanism and frame work leading to the successful holding of 2011 general and Presidential elections. The NEC made specific references to the bills on the 'Boundary Harmonization', the 'Amendment of Article 3d of the Liberia constitution' which calls for absolute majority plus one and the bill on the thresh-whole, which pertains to the number of individuals that make up a constituency.

The commission urged that given the recent census result released by LISGIS that indicated a major growth in the population of the country, the commission is with the strong conviction that the numeration for individual within a given constituency should no longer be the same. NEC Commissioner James Flomoyan told journalists yesterday at the commission's head office in Sinkor that the constitution of Liberia provides that at least 20,000 persons should be entitled to a representative.

According to NEC, such can not work this time given the major growth in the Liberian populations.

Commissioner James Flomoyan said that the three bills are very vital to the smooth operations of the NEC and indicated that a delay in the passage could post a serious threat to the successful holding of the 2011 general and presidential elections.

According to him, the passage of those bills are also significant to the operations and a creation of a frame work of the commission, stressing that NEC would conduct no active operation in the absence of the boundary harmonization act, the issue of the constituency numeration and an amendment of a portion of constitution which speaks about absolute majority.

The NEC Chairman further revealed that regarding the portion in the constitution that provides for absolute majority, they have recommended that it be amended to simple majority.

Commission Flomoyan asserted that people should be elected on the basis of simple majority instead of absolute majority citing that it would also avoid the holding of bi-elections in electoral districts which according to the constitution should be held two weeks after.

He noted that Liberia is the only country in the sub-region that provides for absolute majority instead of simple majority and further indicated that the bill, when enacted into law would require that electoral candidates win by simple majority.

"This law will not include the general and Presidential elections because it has to do with the votes of the entire country. It would only be restricted to electoral districts," The NEC official said.

The chairman also spoke on the 'Thresh-Whole and the Boundary Harmonization' bills, which according to him is seeking to address the issue of clans, chiefdom, towns and a proposed figure for a constituency from 20,000 above.

He said considering the growth in the population, 20,000 persons per a constituency will increase the electoral seats in the House of Representative to over hundred. Making further clarity, he said that if the number is increased to 45,000 persons, the seats in the house would climb from 64 to 77 seats.

"We are asking that they (The House of Representative) select whatever numeration they feel would be in the best interest of the country and the people respectively," he noted.

The NEC Chairman at the same time said that it would be very prudent for the bills to be passed into law so as to enhance the smooth operations of the national Elections Commission, noting that they are also prerequisites to the holding of the 2011 general and presidential elections.