Electoral Management Design Database

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Constitution 1979, accessed 28 December 2020

34. SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS

1. There shall be a Supervisor of Elections whose duty it shall be to exercise general supervision over the registration of voters in elections of Representatives and over the conduct of such elections.

2. The functions of the office of Supervisor of Elections shall be exercised either by the person holding or acting in such public office as may for the time being be designated in that behalf by the Public Service Commission or, if the Commission so decides, by such other person who is not a public officer as may for the time being be so designated, but before exercising its powers under this subsection the Commission shall consult with the Prime Minister.

3. A person shall not enter upon the duties of the office of Supervisor of Elections until he has taken and subscribed the oath of allegiance and the oath of office.

4. For the purposes of the exercise of his functions under subsection (1) of this section, the Supervisor of Elections may give such directions as he considers necessary or expedient to any registering officer, presiding officer or returning officer relating to the exercise by that officer of his functions under any law regulating the registration of voters or the conduct of elections, and any officer to whom directions are given under this subsection shall comply with those directions.

5. The Supervisor of Elections may, whenever he considers it necessary or expedient so to do, report to the House on the exercise of his functions under the foregoing provisions of this section; he shall submit every such report to the Minister for the time being responsible for matters relating to the election of Representatives and that Minister shall, not later than seven days after the House first meets after he has received the report, lay it before the House.

6. In the exercise of his functions under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Supervisor of Elections shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.

7. The Supervisor of Elections shall exercise such other functions in relation to elections (whether to the House or to local government authorities) as may be prescribed by or under any law enacted by Parliament.