The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) is continuing its preparations for the local elections, by focusing on logistical and procedural issues for the polling day scheduled for December 24, said Farouk Bouasker, president of ISIE. This follows the completion of preparations for the election campaign, the training of observers and the swearing-in of candidates in the cantonal courts, he added. Speaking at a training session for members of regional bodies in Hammamet on Wednesday, Bouasker told TAP that efforts were now focused on equipping polling centres and polling stations with the necessary equipment, as well as recruiting and training officials. Efforts are also focused on procedural issues relating to the transport of election material and the security of centres, in cooperation with the Ministries of the Interior and National Defence, as well as the organisation of the draw for candidates with disabilities, scheduled for the morning of polling day. With regard to the level of participa tion in these elections, the president of the authority noted positive indicators in that more than 700,000 Tunisians have updated their data and another 2 million 300,000 have made checks through the USSD code, pointing out that the updating process will continue until December 8. The president of ISIE also stressed the importance of supporting candidates by providing them with information and facilitating procedures to avoid any violation of the law, pointing out that election campaigns are essentially based on direct communication between voters and candidates. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse