More than a million voters register for Libya poll

TRIPOLI, May 10, 2012 (AFP)

More than a million Libyans have registered to participate in the first national elections since Moamer Kadhafi’s regime was toppled, a spokesman for the high election commission said on Thursday.

“There are now 1,167,999 registered voters,” Ezzedine Shaaban told AFP.

The ruling National Transitional Council has pledged to hold elections for a 200-seat constituent assembly in June.

A total of 120 seats in the assembly are reserved for independent candidates, while the remaining 80 are open to political parties.

When elected, the assembly will appoint a committee of experts to write a draft constitution which will then be submitted to a national referendum.

Libya has around six million residents, among them 3.4 million potential voters, according to the election commission.