Trần Thanh Mẫn, National Assembly (NA) Chairman and Chairman of the National Election Council presides the meeting yesterday in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The National Election Council yesterday voted to adopt in principle the resolution guiding candidacy dossiers, ballots and documents for the elections of deputies to the 16th National Assembly (NA) and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 tenure.

At the session presided over by Trần Thanh Mẫn, NA Chairman and Chairman of the National Election Council, NA Secretary General Lê Quang Tùng reported that as of September 11, a total of 15 election-related guiding documents had been issued by the Party Central Committee’s agency, the National Assembly and the National Election Council.

The Council had coordinated with the NA and the Standing Committee of the Delegate Affairs Committee to build a dedicated website; draft regulations on information provision and management of the Council’s portal; and establish an editorial board for the portal, Tùng told the meeting.

He added that units would regularly update guidance documents related to election work to ensure voters and the public could stay informed.

On personnel matters, the Standing Committee of the Delegate Affairs Committee was developing a draft proposal on the expected number, structure and composition of deputies for the 16th NA.

It would then work with the Standing Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee, political-social organisations, the Central Military Commission and the Central Public Security Party Committee to reach consensus on the number and composition before submitting to the National Election Council and the NA Standing Committee (NASC) for consideration and decision.

At the same time, it was developing an orientation for full-time deputies for the 16th NA to be reported to the NA Party Delegation for review and feedback.

Provincial and municipal Party Committees had established Steering Committees and issued directives on leading the elections. The establishment of local election committees was being urgently carried out in accordance with the law.

Tùng stressed that in the coming period, the council would focus on directing preparations for organising the national conference on election work; completing the issuance of guiding documents, materials and handbooks to serve the elections; listening to reports on the expected structure, composition and number of deputies prepared by the NASC; and hearing reports on the activities of the Sub-Committees of the National Election Council and the Office of the National Election Council.

At the session, the National Election Council discussed and gave opinions on the draft report of the Council on the implementation of preparations for the election of deputies to the 16th NA and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 tenure since the first session; key tasks in the coming period; the draft programme, content and plan to organise the national conference on elections; and the draft resolution guiding the forms of candidacy dossiers, ballots and documents used in the election of deputies to the 16th NA and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 tenure.

Speaking at the session, NA Chairman Mẫn acknowledged the valid, constructive and well-founded opinions, and praised the activities of the Sub-Committees and the Office of the National Election Council.

The NA Chairman requested that in the coming period, preparations must be even more focused to ensure scientific, flexible, proactive and innovative implementation, starting early and from a distance.

The Chairman stressed that the preparations for the national conference on elections must be conducted in a standardised manner, ensuring positive effects.

With little time left, there must be greater focus and synchronisation, starting immediately, with more methodical and coordinated preparations, especially given the current conditions where information technology, digital transformation, digitalisation and artificial intelligence offer significant advantages and opportunities.

The Office of the National Election Council must continue to promote its advisory and coordinating role, ensuring smooth and timely information for the Council’s direction and administration, and urging agencies and localities to carry out tasks in accordance with regulations and on schedule.

The NASC would prepare a report to the National Election Council on the expected structure, composition and number of deputies.

The Ministry of Finance was assigned to take the lead in guiding, estimating, managing, using and settling election funds strictly in accordance with the law, while the Ministry of Public Security is tasked with completing and operating the VNeID application for candidates to conveniently declare and search their candidacy records. — VNS