Strict security measures as Yemen gears up for elections

Source: Yemen’s official News Agency (Saba), 02/01/2011

SANA'A- The security authorities are drawing up strict plans throughout the republic as Yemen gears up for the upcoming parliamentary elections planned for April 2011.

Security sources have said that security authorities in various provinces have started taking necessary arrangements including setting out plans to provide a suitable atmosphere for the elections and to face possible disorders.

Among the measures are the plans for safeguarding constituencies and poll committees as well as plans to preserve social order and public security, the sources said.

The House of Representatives has recently passed the election law and the supreme commission for election and referendum was formed within other arrangements for the poll, which the government says will shift the country into a real change phase.

Yesterday, Parliament referred constitutional amendments proposed by the General People's Congress, the ruling party, to a parliamentary panel led by deputy Parliament Speaker Himyar al Ahmer to finalize all legal procedure for them within 60 days to pass the reforms.

The reforms aim to improve the electoral system, with a focus on improvements in local governance, empowerment of women and reducing the presidential term.