The National Election Committee (NEC) has announced its intention to recruit 8,302 short-term contracted officials to serve in 1,652 commune electoral commissions for the June’s commune council elections.

Each of the communes will require a chief of general operations and finance and a deputy chief. NEC will also recruit one member in charge of administration; one for legal services, disputes and security; and one to three members in charge of education, information and public relations.

The criteria for recruitment will be posted at the municipal-provincial election commissions and public places in all towns and districts from February 6.

NEC spokesman Som Sorida said each commune council commission usually had five members, but the larger communes may have up to six, including the chief, deputy chief and the members. All of them would be required to begin work soon, and their contracts would end once the election results were finalised.

“They will begin working in March by registering candidates. This month we aim to recruit and train them so they are prepared to carry out their important duties,” he said.

He added that the short-term nature of the contracts meant that many of those best qualified for the roles were already engaged full-time with other institutions, but he encouraged those who had done this kind of work to come forward and participate in order to guarantee a successful election.