Electoral Commission.

33.- (1) There shall be for Saint Christopher and Nevis an Electoral Commission (hereinafter in this section referred to as the Commission) which shall consist of-

a) a chairman appointed by the Governor-General, acting in his own deliberate judgment;

b) one member appointed by the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister; and

c) one member appointed by the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.

(2) A person shall not be qualified to be appointed as a member of the Commission if he is a Representative, a Senator or a member of the Nevis Island Assembly or a public officer nor, in the case or the chairman, unless he holds one of the specified qualifications and has held one or other of those qualifications for a total period of not less than seven years.

(3) A member of the Commission shall vacate his office-

a) at the expiration of such period as may be specified by the Governor-General at the time of his appointment;

b) if any circumstances arise that, if he were not a member of the Commission, would cause him to be disqualified for appointment as such; or

c) if the Governor-General, acting in his own deliberate judgment in the case of the chairman, in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister in the case of a member appointed under subsection (1)(b) or in accordance with the advice of that Leader of the Opposition in the case of a member appointer under subsection (1)(c), so directs.

(4) The function of the Commission shall be to supervise the Supervisor of Elections in the performance of his functions under sections 34(1), 38(9) and 113(5).

(5) The Commission may regulate its own procedure and, with the consent of the Prime Minister, may confer powers and impose duties on any public officer or on any authority of the Government for the purpose of the discharge of its functions.

(6) The Commission may, subject to its rules of procedure, act notwithstanding any vacancy in its membership and its proceedings shall not be invalidated by the presence or participation of any person not entitled to be present at or to participate in those proceedings:

Provided that any decision of the Commission shall require the concurrence of a majority of all its members.

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