Bill 9 2025 - Political Parties (Registration and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill 2025

[13th June 2 0 2 5 ] Political P arties (Registration and Regulation 1 (Amendment) RREEPPUUBBLLIICC OOFF SSEEYYCCHHEELLLLEESS SSUUPPPPLLEEMMEENNTT TTOO OOFFFFIICCIIAALL GGAAZZEETTTTEE BBIILLLL POLITICAL PARTIES (REGISTRATION AND REGULATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2025 (Bill No. 9 of 2025) EXPLANATORY STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS AND REASONS FOR THE BILL 1. The object of this Bill is to amend the provisions of the Political Parties (Registration and Regulation) Act (Cap. 173) (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) relevant to application for registration; notice of change in registered particulars; and confidentiality of the information. 2. Section 5 of the Act provides for the application for registration of a political party. Subsection (2) of the said section provides for annexures to the said application. It is proposed to insert a new clause to include a demand draft of SCR 1,000 towards registration fee and also to insert a new clause to provide the party symbol, logo, acronym, slogan and party colour along with the said application for registration. 3. It is proposed to insert new clauses in section 11 of the Act to provide that a notice to the Electoral Commission shall be given within 7 days of any changes in the party symbol, logo, acronym, slogan and party colour and the name of the political party. 4. It is proposed to substitute section 14 of the Act relating to confidentiality of the information and its disclosure in certain circumstances and failure to comply with the confidentiality of the information by the members of the Commission or a person authorised by the Commission shall be an offence and be liable to fine of SCR 10,000 and also termination from the office. 5. This Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives. Dated this 06th day of June, 2025. VINSENT S. PERERA ATTORNEY GENERAL ——————— [13th June 2 0 2 5 ] Political P arties (Registration and Regulation 2 (Amendment) RREEPPUUBBLLIICC OOFF SSEEYYCCHHEELLLLEESS SSUUPPPPLLEEMMEENNTT TTOO OOFFFFIICCIIAALL GGAAZZEETTTTEE BBIILLLL POLITICAL PARTIES (REGISTRATION AND REGULATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2025 (Bill No. 9 of 2025) A BILL FOR AN ACT TO AMEND THE POLITICAL PARTIES (REGISTRATION AND REGULATION) ACT (CAP. 173). ENACTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Short title and commencement 1. This Act may be cited as the Political Parties (Registration and Regulation) (Amendment) Act, 2025 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of the Act. [13th June 2 0 2 5 ] Political P arties (Registration and Regulation 3 (Amendment) RREEPPUUBBLLIICC OOFF SSEEYYCCHHEELLLLEESS SSUUPPPPLLEEMMEENNTT TTOO OOFFFFIICCIIAALL GGAAZZEETTTTEE BBIILLLL Amendment of section 5 2. In the Political Parties (Registration and Regulation) Act (Cap. 173) (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), in subsection (2) of section 5 — (a) in paragraph (c), by repealing the words “national identity number” and substituting therefor the words “copies of valid National Identity Card or valid passport”; (b) by inserting after paragraph (d), the following paragraphs — “(da) a demand draft drawn in favour of the Electoral Commission of Seychelles for SCR 1,000 towards registration fee; (db) party symbol, logo, acronym, slogan and party colour;”; Amendment of section 11 3. In section 11 of the principal Act, by inserting after paragraph (b) the following paragraphs — “(c) to the symbol, logo, acronym, slogan or party colour; (d) to the name of the political party,”; Substitution of new section for section 14. 4. By repealing section 14 of the principal Act and substituting therefor the following section — “Confidentiality 14.(1) The Commission or a person authorised by the Commission shall not disclose any information, other than — [13th June 2 0 2 5 ] Political P arties (Registration and Regulation 4 (Amendment) RREEPPUUBBLLIICC OOFF SSEEYYCCHHEELLLLEESS SSUUPPPPLLEEMMEENNTT TTOO OOFFFFIICCIIAALL GGAAZZEETTTTEE BBIILLLL (a) the name of a registered political party; (b) the address of the registered office of a registered political party; (c) the particulars of the office bearers of a registered political party; and (d) the constitution of a political party. (2) Restrictions under subsection (1) shall not apply to the following disclosures — (a) permitted or required under the Act or under any other written law of Seychelles; (b) in the case of information or documents in relations to a political party, with the prior written consent of the political party; (c) where the information disclosed is in statistical form or it is otherwise disclosed in such manner that does not enable the identity of a political party, to which the information relates; (d) pursuant to an order of the court; or (e) for the purposes of, or in connection with an offence under the Act. (3) The members of the Commission or a person authorised by the Commission who fails to comply with subsection (1), commits an offence and is liable to a fine of SCR10,000 and termination from the office.”.