§ Article 7Openness of Preparation and Holding of Elections

1. Public notice about a forthcoming meeting of the electoral committee shall be put on the notice board placed in the premises where the electoral committee has its offices, and the members of this electoral committee shall be personally notified about the forthcoming meeting at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting. In addition, the Central Electoral Committee shall inform the mass media via the Internet about its meetings where the following matters are discussed: dates of by-elections and run-off elections; determining of the boundaries of constituencies; formation and change of the composition of the constituency electoral committees; registration of candidates; issues determined by drawing of lots; reaching a decision on the final election results; lapse of the powers of a Seimas member before the expiration of his term of office; recognition of the powers of a new Seimas member, as well as consideration of disputes concerning the election campaign and violations of the Law on Elections to the Seimas .
2. Meetings and voting of electoral committees shall be open and may be observed by representatives and observers of political parties and political organisations (hereinafter - parties), candidates for Seimas members upon presenting certificates of the established form or credentials with the seal of the organisations which have authorised them; representatives of the mass media, upon presenting their authority or service cards. A candidate for Seimas member may participate in the meeting of an electoral committee if: a decision concerning his personal activities or circumstances directly related to his person is being adopted or if he has been invited to participate in the meeting by the chairman of the electoral committee.
3. Persons present in the conference room may, from their seats, record, write down in shorthand or take down everything that is said at the meeting, photograph, film or make video recordings. Taking photographs, filming, and video recording which requires walking about the hall or using special lighting equipment, as well as live radio or television broadcasting of meetings shall be subject to the permission of the electoral committee chairman.
4. Electoral committees may not hold closed meetings. The Central Electoral Committee may prohibit anyone from entering the workroom of the service staff of electoral committees, document safe-keeping premises if it is necessary to guarantee undisturbed working conditions of the staff and to protect election documents.
5. If there are reasons to believe that during a meeting a threat to the security of an electoral committee or its participants may arise, the chairman of the committee may instruct the police to check the documents and belongings of the persons entering the conference room or carry out their personal search.
6. The electoral committee may remove from the meeting hall persons who interfere with the work of the committee.