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Parliament name (generic / translated) Jirga / National Assembly More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Meshrano Jirga / House of Elders Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Wolesi Jirga / House of the People Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1990 - 1992 2007 - LEADERSHIP President Fazal Hadi Muselimyar (M)  Notes Elected on 29 Jan. 2011. Secretary General Mohammad Kazim Malwan (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 102 / 102 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 28 (27.45%) Mode of designation indirectly elected 68 appointed 34 Notes The statutory number of members of the House of Elders is three times the number of existing provinces (currently 34). Indirectly elected members: These include one representative from each of the 34 Provincial Councils, serving a four-year term; and one representative from each of the 34 local District Councils, serving a three-year term. Appointed members: appointed by the President for a five-year term. District Council elections were not held in September 2005. Two representatives were therefore elected from each Provincial Council. The seats reserved for the District Councils will continue to be filled by the Provincial Councils until District Council elections are held. Term  3-5 years Notes - 3 years for members from local District Councils; - 4 years for members from Provincial Councils; - 5 years for presidential appointees. Last renewal dates 22 January 2011 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address House of Elders National Assembly of Afghanistan Darul-Aman Road, Darul-Aman Kabul, AFGHANISTAN (Export mailing lists) Phone (93) 700 276 986 700 223 604 Fax (93) 20 250 1501 E-mail kazimwoko@yahoo.com mk.shinwari@hotmail.com Website http://www.parliament.af/

Parliament name (generic / translated) Jirga / National Assembly Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Meshrano Jirga / House of Elders Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Wolesi Jirga / House of the People LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 27 May 2004 Mode of designation indirectly elected 68 appointed 34 Constituencies 68 single-member constituencies for 34 provincial representatives and 34 district council representatives, both indirectly elected. Voting system Majority: Majority: two-round system (TRS, run-off) Voting is not compulsory. Voter requirements N/A; indirect elections. CANDIDATES Eligibility - Citizenship of Afghanistan; - Age: 35 years or over on election day; - Residence in the country at the time of election. Incompatibilities - persons commanding non-official military forces or being part of them. Candidacy requirements - deposit for candidates: 4,000 Afghani; reimbursed if the candidate obtains at least 2 per cent of valid votes in the constituency concerned; - nomination by at least 200 electors of the constituency concerned (throughout the country for Kuchi candidates).

Parliament name (generic / translated) Jirga / National Assembly Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Meshrano Jirga / House of Elders Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Wolesi Jirga / House of the People BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 22 January 2011 Timing and scope of renewal Renewal of the 34 members appointed by the President. The statutory number of members of the House of Elders is three times the number of existing provinces (currently 34) and comprises the following members: - 68 indirectly elected members: These include one representative from each of the 34 Provincial Councils, serving a four-year term; and one representative from each of the 34 local District Councils, serving a three-year term; and - 34 appointed members: appointed by the President for a five-year term. On 20 August 2009, elections to the Provincial Councils were held in parallel with presidential elections. As in 2005, elections to the District Councils were not held. The seats reserved for the District Councils will continue to be filled by the representatives of the Provincial Councils until District Council elections are held. On 20 February 2010, 68 representatives (two from each of the 34 Provincial Councils), including 11 women, were elected. On 22 January 2011, President Hamid Karzai appointed 34 members, including 17 women. Following the 2011 renewal, the House of Elders comprises 28 women out of a total of 102 members. STATISTICS Voter turnout Distribution of votes Distribution of seats Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 74 28 27.45% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Following the 2011 renewal, the House of Elders comprises 28 women out of a total of 102 members. Eleven women were indirectly elected while 17 were appointed by the President. Source: House of Elders (01.03.2011)

This page was last updated on 10 March 2011
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