125. In view of the foregoing, the Court holds that an amendment of certain provisions which only partially constitute the legal framework of the electoral body, does not render the Application without merit. 126. Considering the position of the Applicants whereby they hold that amendment of the legal framework governing the electoral body as amended by the Order N° 2020-306 of 4 March 2020 does not modify their claims, and considering the position of the Respondent State that the amendment of the law raised the standards of the electoral body even further, the Court finds that it may examine this case, taking into consideration the legal framework governing the electoral body currently in force. Accordingly, it dismisses the prayer of the Respondent State to find the Application without merit B. Alleged violation of the obligation to establish an independent and impartial electoral body 127. The Applicants aver that the Respondent State has violated its obligation to establish an independent and impartial electoral body provided for under Article 17 of the ACDEG and Article 3 of the Democracy Protocol. 128. The Applicants contend that the electoral body of the Respondent State does not meet the criteria set out in the respective international human rights instruments or the criteria established in the jurisprudence of the Court on the establishment of an independent and impartial electoral body. 129. The Applicants contend that the Respondent State failed to constitute the electoral body in a way that its composition offers sufficient guarantees of the independence and impartiality of its members so as to reassure the public of its ability to organise transparent, free and fair elections (i). They also claim that the electoral body lacks institutional independence as revealed by its insufficient administrative and financial autonomy (ii). Lastly, the Applicants contend that the electoral body lacks the necessary credibility of its independence and impartiality 27