ro ▁decided ▁the ▁previous ▁day ▁to ▁short en ▁its ▁term , ▁although ▁this ▁decision ▁was ▁controvers ial . ▁The ▁Constitution al ▁Act ▁that ▁proc laimed ▁the ▁new ▁constitution ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁st ip ulated ▁that ▁elections ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁Application ▁of ▁elect oral ▁lists ▁occurred ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁February ▁to ▁ 4 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁election ▁silence ▁began ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁MP s ▁being ▁elected ▁was ▁uncertain , ▁because ▁the ▁matter ▁was ▁never ▁solved ▁before ▁the ▁election ▁was ▁scheduled . ▁Based ▁on ▁a ▁count ▁of ▁one ▁MP ▁per ▁six ▁thousand ▁el ig ible ▁vot ers , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁MP s ▁should ▁have ▁been ▁ 8 2 . ▁However , ▁the ▁Constitution ▁st ip ulated ▁ 8 1 , ▁as ▁there ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁present ▁out going ▁session , ▁and ▁this ▁was ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁MP s ▁actually ▁elected . ▁ ▁The ▁pre - elect oral ▁process ▁had ▁been ▁marked ▁by ▁several ▁major ▁inc idents , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁rev ocation ▁of ▁citizens hip ▁of ▁Pred rag ▁Pop ović , ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Party , ▁the ▁viol ation ▁of ▁the ▁human ▁right ▁to ▁work ▁during ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁coal ition ▁treat y ▁of ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Mil o ▁ Đ uk an ović ' s ▁r uling ▁coal ition , ▁which ▁would ▁make ▁party ▁affili ation ▁a ▁criter