Advice to the Privileges and Procedures Committee from Law Officers has indicated that election terms can be cut short, but cannot be extended.
The next elections are set for December 2005, but a move to bring them forward to the spring is being considered, in line with proposals in the Clothier Report.The move is likely to be opposed by the Members who would see their terms of office cut by around six months.
They include all the 29 Deputies, and the six Senators who will be up for election.The issue was raised during Friday’s Privileges Committee meeting, attended by Policy and Resources Committee president Senator Frank Walker.
P&R and Privileges have been on a collision course about the date of the implementation of the new ministerial form of government, which is set for 2005.
