(1)
In order to ensure a fair and adequate representation of each community, there
shall be 8 seats in the Assembly, additional to the 62 seats for members
representing constituencies, which shall so far as is possible be allocated to
persons belonging to parties who have stood as candidates for election. As
members at the general election but have not been returned as members to
represent constituencies.
(2)
As soon as is practicable after all the returns have been made of persons elected at
any general election as members to represent constituencies, the 8 additional seats
shall be allocated in accordance with the following provisions of this paragraph by
the Electoral Supervisory Commission which shall so far as is possible make a
separate determination in respect of each seat to ascertain the appropriate
unreturned candidate (if any) to fill that seat.
(3)
The first 4 of the 8 seats shall so far as is possible each be allocated to the most
successful unreturned candidate, if any, who is a member of a party and who
belongs to the appropriate community, regardless of which party he belongs to.
(4)
When the first 4 seats (or as many as possible of those seats) have been allocated,
the number of such seats that have been allocated to persons who belong to
parties, other than the most successful party, shall be ascertained and so far as is
possible that number of seats out of the second 4 seats shall one by one be
allocated to the most successful unreturned candidates (if any) belonging both to
the most successful party and to the appropriate community or where there is no
unreturned candidate of the appropriate community, to the most successful
unreturned candidates belonging to the most successful party, irrespective of
community.
(5)
In the event that any of the 8 seats remains unfilled, then the following procedure
shall so far as is possible be followed until all (or as many as possible) of the 8
seats are filled, that is to say, one seat shall be allocated to the most successful
unreturned candidate (if any) belonging both to the most successful of the parties
that have not received any of the 8 seats and to the appropriate community, the
next seat (if any) shall be allocated to the most successful unreturned candidate (if
any) belonging both to the second most successful of those parties and to the
appropriate community, and so on as respects any remaining seats and any
remaining parties that have not received any of the 8 seats.
(6)
In the event that any of the 8 seats still remains unfilled, then the following
procedure shall so far as is possible be followed (and, if necessary, repeated) until
all (or as many as possible) of the 8 seats are filled, that is to say, one seat shall be
allocated to the most successful unreturned candidate (if any) belonging both to the
second most successful party and to the appropriate community, the next seat (if
any) shall be allocated to the most successful unreturned candidate (if any)
belonging both to the third most successful party (if any) and to the appropriate
community, and so on as respects any remaining seats and parties.
(7)
Where at any time before the next dissolution of Parliament one of the 8 seats falls
vacant, the seat shall as soon as is reasonably practicable after the occurrence of
the vacancy be allocated by the Electoral Supervisory Commission to the most
successful unreturned candidate (if any) available who belongs to the appropriate