The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) announced at a press conference on Saturday the composition of the 24 regional councils by lot in all governorates. The draw took place under the supervision of several members of the authority's board and officials from its local bodies. ISIE President Farouk Bouasker said that the sortition process was "highly successful and transparent" and that the minutes drawn up for the purpose were duly approved by the Authority's Board. He also announced that 279 local councils held their inaugural meetings on Friday, chaired by the elected member who received the most votes. Bouasker had told reporters previously said that the final composition will be announced on Saturday evening at the end of the meeting of the ISIE Board, which will validate the minutes of the draw before summoning the members of the regional councils to take up their duties in the various governorates next Wednesday. The President of the ISIE added that the last and final stage would be t he election of the members of the district councils and the national council from among the members of the officially announced regional councils. He also pointed out that members of the regional council could not also be members of local councils. To avoid this impossible situation, Bouaskar proposed applying the rule of alternation to the mandate of member of the regional council of the governorate every three months by drawing lots. Speaking about the legal provisions governing regional councils, the President of the ISIE pointed out that the chapter of the Local Communities Code relating to regional councils includes a legal text that is still in force and applicable to regional councils. This text, added the President of the ISIE, has the merit of respecting both the letter and the spirit of Decree-Law No. 10 and can thereby offer alternatives to the problems of the division of responsibilities, pending a later amendment. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse