Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan Chairman Absamat Masaliev was elected the third deputy chairman of the Constitutional Council at that body's 7 September session, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported. Two further opposition parliament deputies, Ismail Isakov and Alisher Abdimomunov, were co-opted as council members the same day, raising the total number from 40 to 42. At its 7 September session, the council discussed at length the optimum distribution of powers between the president and parliament and the procedure for proposing, appointing, and dismissing the prime minister, state secretary, and prosecutor-general, as well as Central Election Commission (CEC) and Audit Chamber chairmen. Addressing the council, President Askar Akaev, who is its chairman, argued in favor of expanding the powers of the prime minister and giving parliament a greater say in selecting government ministers and the chairmen of the CEC and National Bank. (RFE/RL)