Not the right time to have elections, Libyan officials

 Libya is scheduled to hold elections very soon but senior officials feel that is not the right time or situation for it to conduct the democratic practice. On Wednesday, a Libyan political body asserted that the presidential elections should be delayed till February next year. 

As per the current schedule, the elections are called on December 24 but given the emerging concerns about the malpractices during the elections and instability in the region, the body said that it is better to postpone the elections by two months. 

However, it is difficult to say if the government will listen to the suggestion as the High State Council (HSC) is not recognized by any of the existing political entities of the country. It is important to note that an advisory body was installed in 2015 during the peace agreement process. 

HSC does not have much power right now and given the current political climate, if it stresses anything very strongly, the nation is bound to suffer. HSC’s power is a huge issue presently but its doubts regarding the election seem valid. 

The last month has already started but the election commission has not yet announced the list of the candidates who will be contesting for the top chair. Earlier, the court had already expressed its concerns over the eligibility of all the candidates who had registered. 

The concerns further grew when the list saw some of the most popular and influential people in the country because, with their involvement, the whole dynamics of the nation may change. It will be a drastic shift from the existing measures in the country.