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Ammon News - The Lower House on Monday began deliberations over the draft election law, in a session chaired by Lower House Speaker Abdulkarim Dughmi, attended by Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh and Cabinet members, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The draft law, as approved by the Lower House, envisages dividing the Kingdom into 18 local electoral districts and one general, or partisan, electoral district, allocating a total number of 138 seats, including 97 for local districts and 41 for the general district.

The draft law maintains the allocation of nine seats for Christians and three seats for Circassians and Chechens, as well as 18 seats for women (quota) at the local electoral district level.

Deputies approved articles granting the right to vote to every Jordanian who has reached the age of 18 years 90 days before the date of the poll, while members of the armed forces and security bodies will not be able to practise that right while they are in service.

Individuals convicted of bankruptcy are not qualified to exercise the right to vote, provided that the names of all those whose voting right revoked are eliminated from the voters’ lists.

According to the draft, His Majesty the King issues a Royal decree directing holding of parliamentary elections, 10 days after which the Independent Election Commission will set a date for casting polls.

On Tuesday, the Lower House will continue discussing the draft law, after approving eight of its 74 articles.