112 parties enrolled for polls

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights closed on Friday the registration of parties applying for legal entity status to contest the 2004 legislative elections.

As of the deadline, 5 p.m., 112 parties had registered with the ministry.

Only nine of the parties passed the administrative screening. Nine others are being evaluated.

The ministry will give parties until Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. to complete all administrative requirements.

The head of the ministry's verification team, Oka Mahendra, said 27 parties were now ready for screening procedures, which will take place between Sept. 1 and Sept. 27.

The parties that pass the screening must then be pronounced eligible to contest the elections -- scheduled for April 5, 2004 -- by the General Elections Commission.

Oka also pointed out that registration was free. He was responding to reports that some parties had been asked for money to expedite the verification process. -- Antara