Tripoli: The High National Elections Commission has taken significant legal steps by referring several municipal council election candidates to the Public Prosecutor's Office. The decision, encapsulated in Decision No. (1) of 2026, was announced on Tuesday and pertains to candidates from Groups Two and Three who failed to submit necessary financial reports concerning their election campaigns.

According to Libyan News Agency, the Commission's action is grounded in Article (43) of the Executive Regulations for Municipal Council Elections No. (43). This article mandates that every candidate or list must provide a comprehensive financial statement, certified by a chartered accountant. This statement should detail total revenues, specifying their sources and nature, as well as total campaign expenditures and their allocation.

Further, the Commission highlighted Article (62), Paragraph (27) of the same regulations, which enforces legal accountability for candidates who do not submit a detailed financial statement as per the approved procedures. Such candidates face the prescribed measures for failing to disclose the sources of their campaign funding and expenditures.

The Commission's decision aligns with Article (65) of the regulations, which reinforces that the penalties described in Law No. (27) of 2023 regarding the election of the House of Representatives do not exclude the application of any more severe penalties under the Penal Code or other relevant legislation.

Moreover, Article (70) of Law No. (27) of 2023 provides that candidates or parties found in violation can be excluded from the electoral process. They may also face a prison sentence of no less than six months, a fine ranging from two thousand to five thousand Libyan dinars, and disqualification from running for office for one electoral cycle.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to upholding transparency and credibility within the electoral process. These measures aim to ensure the integrity of municipal elections and safeguard the process from financial irregularities that could undermine its fairness.