'€œThese comprise 9 elections for governors, 26 elections for mayors and deputy mayors and 167 elections for regional heads at the regency level,'€ KPU chairman Husni Kamil Manik said as quoted by Antara news agency in Padang, West Sumatra, on Sunday.

Husni added that ahead of the elections, there were a number of developments regarding mechanisms for organizing local elections that voters needed to comprehend.

He added that the government and the House of Representatives were deliberating the draft law on direct elections. '€œThe draft law is a separation from the 2004 law regarding regional administration."

The KPU plans to hold the direct elections in October 2015.

'€œRelated parties have continued to prepare the organizing of elections while they are awaiting ratification of the law,'€ said Husni.

In West Sumatra, the election will be four months behind its initial schedule; the last election was held on June 30, 2010. '€œRegions that will hold direct elections for regional heads in October 2015 will likely be led by acting leaders,'€ said Husni.

He said direct elections of regional heads would be fully covered by the state budget (APBN). '€œFor that purpose, the Regional General Elections Commission (KPUD) in the province, municipality and regency levels from across Indonesia should draw up a Pilkada budget,'€ said Husni.

Separately, the West Sumatra KPUD chairman, Amnasmen, said at least 13 regencies and municipalities in the province would likely hold direct elections simultaneously. Among the regencies and municipalities were Bukittinggi, Limapuluh Kota, Padang Pariaman, South Pesisir, Tanah Datar, Solok City and Solok regency.

Amnasmen added that the commission was making preparations with a hope that the elections would run smoothly and successfully despite the fact that the draft law on direct elections had yet to be deliberated.

'€œThe KPUD is making preparations to draw up the election budget,'€ he said.

He added that the KPUD in regencies and municipalities across the province had submitted election budget proposals that would be realized by the local administrations.

'€œWe still cannot make sure whether the elections will use the APBN or local budgets (APBD), but we are ready to hold the elections,'€ said Amnasmen. (ebf)

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