The 53rd Legislature has notified the National Elections Commission (NEC) of a vacancy in the House of Representatives following the death of Lofa County Electoral District #1 Representative Eugene Fallah Kparkar.
In a December 7 letter to NEC, signed by the Chief Clerk, Mildred N. Sayon, the House of Representatives declared Lofa’s Electoral District #1 vacant due to the death of its Representative.
Kparkar died on November 10 in India where he had gone to seek medical attention and has since been buried.
In its letter to NEC Chairman, Cllr. Jerome G. Korkoyah, the House said the information constitutes the Commission’s legal authority to work out the modalities for the replacement of a Representation for Lofa County electoral district #1.
Article 37 of the Liberian Constitution says, “in the event of a vacancy in the Legislature caused by death, resignation, and expulsion or otherwise, the presiding officer shall within 30 days notify the NEC thereof.”
The Article further says that the NEC shall not later than 90 days thereafter call for a by-election to fill the vacancy, in the case of Electoral District #1 in Lofa County.
NEC communications officer Lorenzo Harmon, who acknowledged receipt of the Legislature’s notification, said NEC is already preparing to announce a calendar of events leading to the conduct of the by-election in the district.
Up to press time, it was not clear whether the NEC has the money to conduct the Lofa by-election since the commission often complains of financial constraints in the discharge of its official functions for the 2017 elections.
