9 candidates in the National Assembly and for the President. This will allow those who will be conducting elections, those who are not able to go to their polling stations because of physical condition to vote. The votes will then be sent to the respective polling stations on election day for counting. Section required To reinstate the special vote which can be for people with a physical infirmity, disability or pregnancy, absence from voting district while serving as an election officer, on duty as a member of the security services.  Electoral malpractices Section 133A This expands the scope of punishable “intimidation” by ‘threatening statements by alleged intimidators that they can discover how a voter cast his or her ballot.’ If convicted of this offence, a perpetrator is liable to a fine level ten ($700) or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment. This is a progressive addition given the widespread reports of intimation of potential voters in the previous elections and the BVR exercise where political party actors were recording serial numbers of voter registration certificates on the pretext that they will be able to determine how a voter has cast their vote. The criminalisation of this practice should act as a deterrent for future offenders. Access to media Section 160J Amends section 160J “Conduct of news media during election period” by activating the provisions which mandate news media to ensure equitable coverage in an election period to any specified date on or after the beginning of the period of six months before the end of the five-year term of Parliament as specified in section 143 of the Constitution. The extension of the ‘election period’ is crucial to curb partisan news coverage as it will assist in equitable coverage of all the players and not give the one candidate an advantage over another. Conflict Management Section 160A Empowers ZEC to activate the Act’s provisions on the setting up of the National Multiparty Liaison Committee and the media monitoring of elections before rather than after the proclamation of an election, provided that the period shall commence as soon as possible after the closure of nominations in an election (or, in the case of a national multiparty liaison committee, from such date as the Commission may designate, after consultation with the Minister, being any date on or after the beginning of the period of six months before the end of the five-year term of Parliament as specified in section 143 of the Constitution. This provision is crucial for conflict management and will assist in creating a more peaceful environment through the early activation of the National Multiparty Liaison Committee. It would be more desirable to have the Multi-Party Liaison Committee set up much earlier Election dispute resolution Section 121 Provides that the Electoral Court is a division of the High Court Section 163 Provides that assessors of the Electoral Court and the panel of names from which they are drawn must be equally representative of women and men. This is in line with the Judicial Laws, Ease of Settling Commercial and Other Disputes Act. However, the temporal (time frame) and subject matter jurisdiction of the court needs to be clarified. It has to be clear what cases the Electoral Court will deal with and whether these cases can be heard throughout the electoral cycle. This is commendable and in line with the gender mainstreaming provisions now contained in the Act. Section 155(2)(e) ensure timely resolution of election disputes