HARGEISA, Somalia Oct 24 (Garowe Online) - Lawmakers in Somalia's breakaway republic of Somaliland have approved a new election commission in order to move forward the election process, Radio Garowe reports.

Parliament's lower house, the 82-member House of Representatives, met on Saturday in the Somaliland capital Hargeisa to vote on the new seven-member election commission, whose members was jointly appointed by Somaliland's president, parliament and opposition parties.

House Speaker Abdirahman Mohamed "Irro" asked the lawmakers to approve the new election commission as a unit, instead of one-by-one approval.

The 65 MPs present voted unanimously to approve the new election commission after the new commission members "fulfilled all selection criteria," according to Mr. Said Elmi Roble, chairman of the internal affairs subcommittee.

The new election commission is scheduled to meet soon and to appoint a new chairman. Somaliland President Dahir Riyale inked a six-point agreement with opposition parties in late September following a dispute over delayed presidential elections.

Located in northwest Somalia, Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from the rest of the country in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally.

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Source: Garowe Online