Senate Opposition changes to a new law aimed at cutting red tape around election procedure were yesterday backed by Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox .

An alliance of UBP and Independent Senators voted down parts of the registration amendment Bill and sent the proposed law back to the Lower House on Wednesday.

Ms Cox said yesterday: "It shouldn't be made a political football -- certainly we on this side of the House are prepared to accept said amendments.'' And she added that the changes were "amending the amendment -- but not to a substantial degree.'' Ms Cox said: "It's not doing a disservice to the policy and principle underlying the bill.'' Senators -- led by new UBP member Sen. Mark Pettingill -- forced through a move to block a proposal in the Bill to allow a host of different forms of voter ID to be acceptable at polling stations.

Mr. Pettingill said he had seen some "very clever'' fraudulent ID and making the choice of acceptable ID too wide could open the door to polling day cheats.

Independent Senators again sided with the Opposition to set a time limit on informing the Parliamentary Registrar of a change of address.

The wording in the Bill left the time-scale open-ended -- but the Senate amendment insisted changes of address should be notified within 28 days.

The Bill's main thrust -- the abolition of the "frustating'' annual registration process -- went unchallenged.

Government claimed the electoral process was too cumbersome and could lead to people being deprived of their right to vote.

Under the legislation, polling stations will also open longer, draft registers will no longer be produced and voters will be able to sign on the Register all year round.

Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox Graphic file name: PAULA