Libya to Hold June Election on Time

Libya will hold its first election for a constituent assembly on schedule in June, the election commission head was quoted as saying by the official news agency on Sunday.

"The elections will be held on schedule as set by the constitutional declaration" of the ruling National Transitional Council, the official LANA news agency quoted Othman al-Kajiji as saying.

Under the NTC-adopted constitutional declaration in August, the election for a first constituent assembly are scheduled to be held eight months after the country declared its "liberation" from Moammar Gadhafi's regime.

The liberation was declared on October 23, meaning the election is to be held in the last week of June, although no date has yet been set.

Kajiji said his newly-formed election commission was in contact with the Libyan authorities and spoke of "fruitful collaboration" with some departments, while hoping the effort would be "free of bureaucracy."

The NTC in late January adopted an election law to regulate the vote for the 200-member constituent assembly.

The election law stipulates that 120 of the 200 assembly seats be reserved for independent candidates and the rest kept for political parties.

Libya on Friday celebrated the first anniversary of the launch of its revolution which ousted and toppled its longtime leader Gadhafi after a brutal conflict.