The Speaker of the National Assembly, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, has ruled that in terms of the Electoral Act, the President only submits nominations to the National Assembly for its consideration and approval.

She said it is not the function of the National Assembly to scrutinise, review or revisit a selection committee's internal processes, deliberations or evaluation records.

The Speaker was responding to concerns raised by some members of Parliament regarding the recruitment process for ECN commissioners.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said, accordingly, the documents before the National Assembly and which may be made available to members are the President's nominations submitted to the National Assembly in terms of the Electoral Act, together with any other documents that lawfully form part of the proceedings before the House.

The Selection Committee's internal records, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said, including scoring sheets, interview assessments, evaluation records, reports and deliberative documents, remain the records of the Selection Committee and not those of the Speaker or the Secretary to the National Assembly.

The MPs had demanded access to such records.

"The Secretary to the National Assembly, when acting in the capacity of Secretary to the selection committee, performs administrative functions on behalf of that committee and may act only on the instructions or authority of the selection committee in relation to its records. The Secretary is not authorised to disclose or distribute the selection committee's internal records on the instructions of the Speaker or on his or her own accord. The House will therefore proceed to determine the matter based on the President's contributions, the provisions of the Electoral Act, and the documents lawfully before the Assembly. I so rule."