The electoral division of East Coast has been altered and extended.

Extended so far out it now includes the island of Pedra Branca to the east of Singapore.

The East Coast electoral division already includes Tampines, Simei, Bedok, Upper Changi Road and several of Singapore's other offshore islands such as Coney Island, Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong.

Where is Pedra Branca?

Pedra Branca is an island 54km off the mainland of Singapore.

The lighthouse on the island, Horsburgh Lighthouse, is named after the navigator and hydrographer, Captain James Horsburgh, and has been in operation since Oct. 15, 1851.

On May 23, 2008, the International Court of Justice awarded the island to Singapore.

With effect from June 27, 2002, Pedra Branca was declared a protected area within the meaning of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act.

Consequently, a permit from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore is required for access to the island, and unauthorised presence there is a criminal offence.

The announcement of the altering of the East Coast electoral division is according to a notification made on Friday, Feb. 1 by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, under Section 8 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, published in the Government Gazette.

Registers of Electors open for inspection

Besides news of this alteration, the Elections Department said that the Registers of Electors will be open for public inspection for two weeks towards the end of February.

Any person will have his or her name included in the Register of Electors for an electoral division as long as he or she satisfies the following qualifying criteria as of Feb. 1.

- Is a citizen of Singapore (holder of pink NRIC);

- Is not less than 21 years of age;

- Is not disqualified from being an elector under any prevailing law;

- (i) has a Singapore residential address on his NRIC;

or (ii) if he is residing overseas, and has changed his NRIC address to an overseas address, has a contact address in Singapore registered with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority for voting purpose (also known as a local contact address).

Feb. 1 is the cut-off date for the Registers of Electors.