The
election council for the 13th National Assembly (NA) and for People’s Councils
at all levels for the 2011-16 term held its third session in Hanoi on April 4.

Party General Secretary, NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong addresses the session. (Photo: VNA)

The election council discussed the report on operations of the election council
and sub-committees from the previous session and the report on results of the
second consultative conference for the upcoming elections.

The report on process of preparations for the upcoming election said the total
number of deputies to the 13 th NA is fixed at 500 in accordance with the law.
By 5pm of March 18, 2011 – the deadline for receiving candidates’ dossiers,
1,149 dossiers of candidates had been sent to the election council and
provincial and municipal election committees.

From March 20-23, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee and the
provincial and municipal VFF committees conducted second consultative
conferences to draw up preliminary candidate roster. The conferences agreed
1,086 candidates at central and local levels, including 83 self-nominated
candidates.

By March 31, central and local agencies completed gathering opinions of voters
about NA candidates.

The total number of deputies to be elected to people’s councils in 63 provinces
and cities is 3,832, while the total number for the district level is 20,785,
according to the statistics of 62 out of 63 provinces and cities. The number of
deputies to be elected to people’s council at communal level is 273,433,
according to the statistics of 60 out of 63 provinces and cities.

Localities are implementing the fourth step of the consultative process that is
to collect voters’ comments and vote of confidence for the candidates. The
process will end on April 10 in line with the law.

About 93,800 constituencies are planned to be set up nationwide for the upcoming
elections of the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels.

At the session, Party General Secretary and NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong
highlighted the effective work and smooth coordination between concerned
agencies and localities over the past time, saying the process took place in
line with the law and in a democratic and careful manner, and consultative
meetings to gather voter’s opinions ensured democracy and frankness.

VietNamNet/VNA