How the nine members are elected is governed both in the Constitution and in the statute. The Law goes down to the detail of nomination and the ballot paper.
The Qualifications Required of Members - Art. 35/1
The Supreme Council consists of nine members elected by the Grand National Assembly from among persons having the following qualifications:
- Having completed higher education of at least four years
- Having served for at least ten years in public institutions and organisations or in private organisations on matters related to their profession
- Having sufficient professional knowledge and experience
- Having the qualification to be a civil servant
- Having completed the age of thirty
Nomination and Election - Art. 35/2
For the election, candidates are nominated as twice the number of members to be determined in proportion to the number of members of the political party groups, and the members of the Supreme Council are elected from among those candidates by the plenary of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, taking as a basis the number of members falling to each political party group.
The Procedure of Election - Arts. 35/3 and /4
| Stage | Rule |
|---|---|
| Period | The election is held within ten days after the candidates are determined and announced |
| Ballot paper | A combined ballot paper is drawn up in separate lists for the candidates nominated by the political party groups |
| Voting | By marking the special place opposite the names of the candidates |
| Invalidity | Votes cast in excess of the number of members to be elected from a group's quota are deemed invalid |
| Result | Provided there is a decision quorum, the candidates receiving the most votes, in the number of vacant memberships, are elected |
| Announcement | The result of the election is published in the Official Gazette |
Term of Office and Renewal - Art. 35/5
The term of office of the members of the Supreme Council is six years. One third of the members is renewed every two years.
| Situation | Period |
|---|---|
| Term of office | Six years |
| Renewal | One third of the members every two years |
| Election for those whose term is ending | Two months before the end of their term |
| In the event of a vacancy | Within one month of the date of the vacancy or, if the Grand National Assembly is in recess, of the end of the recess |
| The member elected in their place | Completes the term of the member in whose place they were elected |
The Chair and the Deputy Chair - Art. 36
The members meet within fifteen days of the date the results of the election are published in the Official Gazette and elect from among themselves a Chair and a Deputy Chair. Their terms of office are two years.
- The term of office of the person elected Deputy Chair is limited to the period during which the Chair is in office.
- If the membership of the Chair or the Deputy Chair ends or the office becomes vacant, the Supreme Council holds an election at its first meeting.
- The Supreme Council is directed and represented by the Chair; where the Chair is absent, by the Deputy Chair.
- If both become vacant at the same time, the oldest member presides over the Supreme Council.
The Duties and Powers of the Chair - Art. 36/3
The Chair is charged with determining the agenda, day and time of meetings, directing the meetings, ensuring the publication or notification of decisions and following their implementation, giving final form to the proposals coming from the service units and submitting them to the Supreme Council, preparing the annual budget and the financial statements, preparing the annual activity reports, representing the Supreme Council and appointing the personnel other than those whose appointment by the Supreme Council is provided for.
Prohibitions for Members
The prohibitions to which the members are subject and the oversight are governed in Art. 38. We cover the detail in the prohibitions guide.
Summary
The Radio and Television Supreme Council consists of nine members elected by the plenary of the Grand National Assembly from among persons who have completed higher education of at least four years, have served at least ten years in their field, have completed the age of thirty and have the qualification to be a civil servant. The political party groups nominate candidates as twice the number of members falling to them. The term of office is six years and one third of the members is renewed every two years. The Chair and the Deputy Chair are elected from among the members for two years.