On October 28, a newly reorganized Independent Electoral Bureau (OKB) of Suriname is set to hold its official swearing-in ceremony at the Presidential Palace, commencing at 10 a.m., marking the formal launch of the body that oversees all national electoral processes in the South American nation. The top two leadership posts of the refreshed electoral watchdog are both nominated by the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP): Anne-Marel Linger will assume the chairmanship, while Aroon Samdjawan will serve as her deputy. A third NDP affiliate, Marjaffi Tiffany Setosetko, has been appointed as the bureau’s non-member secretary to support administrative operations.
This new lineup represents a notable shift from the previous OKB cohort, where the chair and deputy chair roles were split between two opposition parties: the Progressive Reform Party (VHP) and the General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP). Former VHP-nominated chair Samseerali Sheikh-Alibaks will not return to the new body, while ex-ABOP deputy chair Ravin Soerdjbali has been re-nominated as a regular member of the updated bureau.
The formation of the new OKB followed a transparent nomination process open to all registered political parties and accredited civil society groups, filling seats for a full six-year term that succeeds the previous bureau’s tenure, which ran from its appointment on September 24, 2020, to its official expiration on September 25, 2026. Beyond its two top leadership picks, the NDP also nominated Paul Lank and Deborah Saro as regular members, alongside Stanley Sidoel and Anushka Gopalrai as alternate members.
The VHP’s nominated cohort includes Reita Joemratie, Rafiq Ilahi, and Lila (Sandra) Punwasi-Raghoebier as regular members, with Ravish Isrie serving as their alternate; Punwasi-Raghoebier previously chaired Suriname’s Central Main Electoral Bureau during the last electoral cycle. The ABOP put forward returning member Ravin Soerdjbali and new nominee Sonja Bron. The National Party of Suriname (NPS) re-nominated sitting member Stephanie Bram alongside new representative Dennis Rusland, while Alternative 2020 (A20) nominated Graceffa Kasandikromo-Atromoi, the Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP) put forward Lourencina Adams, and Pertjajah Luhur (PL) re-appointed Hendrik Jamaloodin as its representative.
Two leading civil society organizations also secured nomination slots to ensure non-partisan representation: the Central Organization of Civil Servants (CLO) put forward Yone Gorisson, and the Suriname Business Association (VSB) nominated Kamlesh Ganesh. In total, nine members from the previous OKB cohort are returning for the new term, blending deep institutional experience with fresh perspectives from newly appointed representatives. The swearing-in of the full lineup formally guarantees uninterrupted operational continuity for Suriname’s top electoral oversight body as it prepares to administer and monitor future national electoral processes.