VietNamNet Bridge – The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee has rejected the request of two central provinces of Quang Ngai and Nghe An to increase their numbers of NA deputies of the 13^th term.

The committee said that the total number of NA deputies of the 13^th term is 500 and the numbers of deputies allocated to provinces are appropriate.

The committee didn’t agree to increase the number of deputies for some provinces, being afraid that the increase may affect the fixed structure of deputies.

Some provinces also proposed adjusting the structure of deputies but the NA Standing Committee didn’t approve because the structure carefully considered by relevant agencies before it was made public.

The committee asked provinces to guarantee to reach the fixed ratios of female, ethnic minorities, non-Party member, young and re-elected deputies.

The election to the 13th National Assembly and People’s Councils will be held on Sunday, May 22. This will be the first time people will be casting their votes for the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels on the same day.

The Constitution of Vietnam recognizes the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as “the highest organ of state power.” The National Assembly, a 493-member unicameral body elected to a five-year term, meets twice a year. The assembly appoints the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam, the Head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam, and the 21-member Cabinet.

The National Assembly is the highest government organization and the highest-level representative body of the people. It has the power to draft, adopt, and amend the constitution and to make and amend laws. It also has the responsibility to legislate and implement state plans and budgets. Through its constitution-making powers it defines its own role and the roles of the Vietnamese State President, the Vietnamese Government, the local people’s councils and people’s committees, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuracy. The assembly can elect and remove members of the Council of Ministers, the chief justice of the Supreme People’s Court, and the procurator general of the People’s Supreme Organ of Control. Finally, it has the power to initiate or conclude wars and to assume other duties and powers it deems necessary. The term of each session of the National Assembly is five years, and meetings are convened twice a year, or more frequently if called for by the Council of State.

PV