DPA

TRIPOLI VOTER registration centres opened across Libya on Tuesday in preparation for the country’s first national elections since the fall of former leader Moamer Qadhafi last year. Registration of voters will take place until May 14.

Nominations are also being accepted until May 8 for candidates for election to the 200- member National Conference.

In the elections, scheduled to be held in June, Libyans will vote for a 200-member assembly to replace the ruling National Transitional Council and tasked with drawing up a new constitution for the north African state. No precise date for the election has been set.

Libya’s interim rulers have been adamant that the elections will go ahead, on schedule, despite disturbances in the south and west of the country in recent months as tensions persist between rival revolutionary militias and the central authorities.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has recently urged the interim National Transitional Council to amend regulations to eliminate vague and broad prohibitions on who may serve as a government official or become a candidate for election.

The current regulations prohibit people from holding senior government posts or running for office if they were “known for glorifying” the previous government or they “stood against the February 17 revolution” that overthrew Gaddafi, the New York-based group said on Saturday.