Phnom Penh (FN), August 12 – Head of the National Election Committee Sik Bunhok told Fresh News this afternoon of August 12, 2016 that according to the present status, president of the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party, Mr. Sam Rainsy, will be banned by the law from being registered and from running for the forthcoming elections in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Mr. Sam Rainsy is not eligible to be registered and to run for the elections because he has been tied up with so many legal cases and court verdicts, said Mr. Sik Bunhok who also cited Article 46 of the Elections Law that bans any convicted from registering and running for elections.

As for the deputy president of the opposition party Kem Sokha, Mr. Bunhok said, as far as the present status is concerned, Mr. Kem Sokha is eligible to be registered and to run for the elections since there has not been a final conviction by the court yet. However, Mr. Bunhok maintained that if a final court verdict comes later, then Sokha would be no longer eligible.