Members of the regional parliament began debating a revised electoral bill on Monday, opening what is expected to be several weeks of committee hearings and public consultation.
The draft proposes changes to how constituencies are defined, introduces deadlines for candidate registration and requires parties to publish the sources of large campaign donations.
Supporters say the bill would make elections more predictable and transparent. Critics argue the timetable is too short for voter registration in remote districts.
Civil society concerns
A coalition of civil society groups said it would submit written evidence, calling for independent oversight of voter registration and protection of women’s representation in the final text.
