Terms of Reference for Electoral Boundaries Review Committee and PM's Role in Setting Principles for These Terms

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what are the terms of reference provided to an Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC); (b) what are the principles underlying how terms of reference for EBRC are being determined; and (c) whether such decision is made by the Prime Minister.

Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee, or EBRC in short, has not been convened. When EBRC is convened, the Prime Minister will set out the Terms of Reference for the committee.

Based on the Terms of Reference for past committees, EBRC will review the electoral boundaries and recommend the size and the number of Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and Single Member Constituencies (SMCs). In its review, the EBRC should consider significant changes in the number of electors in each electoral division as a result of population shifts and housing developments since the last boundary delineation exercise. For the last three General Elections, the Prime Minister also directed EBRC to reduce the size of GRCs and to create more SMCs.