Decree No. 321/2025/NĐ-CP guiding the solicitation of public opinion on the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units.

DECREE

Guidelines on soliciting public opinions regarding the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units

pursuant to Article 72/2025/QH15 of the Law on Local Administration Organization;

On the basis of 61/2014/QH13;

On the basis of and Article 10/2022/QH15 of the Law on Implementing Democracy at the Grassroots Level;

On the basis of The Government issues this Decree guiding the solicitation of public opinions regarding the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units.

||| Based on the proposal of the Minister of Home Affairs;

This Decree stipulates the organization of soliciting public opinions regarding the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

Article 2. Scope of Soliciting Opinions

The establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units must solicit public opinions from administrative units at the commune level directly affected, specifically:

1. In cases involving the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units at the provincial level, the Provincial People's Committee shall organize the solicitation of public opinions from all communes within that province.

2. In cases involving the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units at the commune level, the Provincial People's Committee shall organize the solicitation of public opinions from that commune.

Article 3. Forms of Soliciting Opinions

1. The Provincial People's Committee shall organize the solicitation of public opinions through the distribution of Opinion Collection Forms to households according to the model prescribed in the Appendix attached to this Decree and the regulations of the law on implementing democracy at the grassroots level.

2. Based on the actual situation of the locality, the Provincial People's Committee decides on the forms of distributing Opinion Collection Forms to each household appropriately, or delegates the Commune People's Committee to decide for specific units, encouraging the application of electronic opinion collection methods through local websites, portals, telecommunications networks, social media platforms operating legally, and electronic software in accordance with the law, ensuring transparency, convenience, and suitability with the level of information technology application at the commune, village, and residential ward levels.

Article 4. Procedures and Formalities for Soliciting Opinions

1. After drafting the proposal for the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units, the Provincial People's Committee shall issue a document along with the Opinion Collection Form and materials for collecting opinions to the Commune People's Committee; instructing and guiding the Commune People's Committee to develop plans and organize the solicitation of public opinions in each village and residential ward.

2. Within sixty days from the date of receipt of the document from the Provincial People's Committee, the Commune People's Committee shall complete the solicitation of public opinions.

3. Within five working days from the date of completion of the solicitation of public opinions, the Commune People's Committee shall compile and prepare a report on the results of soliciting public opinions in its area to be submitted to the People's Council at the same level, the Provincial People's Committee, and posted on the website or portal of the Commune People's Committee.

For communes that do not have a People's Council, the Commune People's Committee shall compile and prepare a report on the results of soliciting public opinions in its area to be submitted to the Provincial People's Committee and posted on the website or portal of the Commune People's Committee.

4. Within five working days from the date of receipt of the report on the results of soliciting public opinions from the Commune People's Committee, the Provincial People's Committee shall direct the compilation of a consolidated report on the results of soliciting public opinions from relevant communes to be submitted to the People's Council at the same level, the Government Portal, and the website or portal of the Provincial People's Committee.

5. Within five working days from the date of receipt of the report on the results of soliciting public opinions from the Provincial People's Committee, the Commune People's Committee, the Government Portal, and the websites or portals of the Provincial and Commune People's Committees, they shall be responsible for posting the results of soliciting public opinions.

Within five working days from the date of receipt of the report on the results of soliciting public opinion from the provincial People's Committee, commune People's Committee, the Government's electronic portal, and the websites and electronic portals of the provincial People's Committee and commune People's Committee, they shall be responsible for publishing the results of soliciting public opinion.

Article 5. Results of soliciting opinions

1. The report on the results of soliciting the people's opinions regarding the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units must clearly state the process of organizing the opinion solicitation, the total number of households in the area, the number of households participating in the opinion solicitation, the number of households agreeing, and the number of households disagreeing for each commune-level administrative unit, as well as other opinions (if any).

2. If the results of soliciting the people's opinions regarding the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of provincial-level administrative units reach 50% or more of the total number of households in the area (calculated according to each provincial-level administrative unit) in agreement, then the agency drafting the proposal continues to perfect the proposal and submits it to the Provincial People's Council for consideration and comments.

If the results of soliciting the people's opinions regarding the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of commune-level administrative units reach 50% or more of the total number of households in the area (calculated according to each commune-level administrative unit) in agreement, then the agency drafting the proposal continues to perfect the proposal and submits it to the Provincial People's Council and Commune People's Council for consideration and comments. In cases where the commune-level administrative unit does not organize a People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee directs the completion of the Proposal and submits it to the Provincial People's Council for consideration and comments.

3. The results of soliciting the people's opinions must be publicly disclosed on the local websites and portals and on the Government Portal in accordance with Clause 5, Article 4 of this Decree and the regulations on grassroots democracy implementation.

Article 6. Information dissemination, propaganda, and materials for soliciting opinions

1. All levels of People's Committees organize propaganda and public disclosure about soliciting the people's opinions on the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units in accordance with the actual situation of the locality and the regulations on grassroots democracy implementation.

2. Materials for soliciting opinions include:

a) Draft Proposal for the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units;

b) Summary of the proposal, including the following contents: Plan for the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units; summary evaluation of the criteria of the administrative unit (if applicable) and conditions for the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units; list of guiding documents and policies of the Party and State;

c) Plan for organizing the solicitation of the people's opinions by the Provincial People's Committee and Commune People's Committee.

3. Materials for soliciting opinions must be published on the Government Portal or the websites and portals of the Provincial People's Committee and Commune People's Committee; posted at the offices of the Commune People's Committee, community activity points, and disseminated through mass media in the locality during the period of soliciting the people's opinions, at village meetings, and neighborhood meetings.

Article 7. Receiving and handling complaints about the results of soliciting the people's opinions

1. When discovering errors in the results of soliciting the people's opinions, citizens and organizations have the right to lodge complaints with the People's Committee that prepared the report on the results of soliciting the people's opinions. Within five working days from the date of receipt of the complaint, the People's Committee concerned must resolve the matter and inform the complainant of the resolution result.

2. In cases where errors in the results of soliciting the people's opinions are due to the process of compiling and preparing the report on the results of soliciting the people's opinions, within five working days, all levels of People's Committees must correct and complete the report on the results of soliciting the people's opinions and submit it to competent authorities in accordance with this Decree.

3. In cases where errors in the results of soliciting the people's opinions have been published on the Government Portal and local websites and portals, the Provincial People's Committee and Commune People's Committee must issue a document to the Government Portal and local websites and portals requesting corrections. Within three working days from the date of receipt of the document from the Provincial People's Committee, the Government Portal and local websites and portals are responsible for correcting the results of soliciting the people's opinions.

Article 8. Funding for organizing public opinion surveys on opinions. intention proposal

The funding for organizing public opinion surveys on the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units shall be guaranteed by the state budget according to the分级管理指示需分步展示完整翻译。以下是第二部分的翻译结果：

Article 9. Effective Date

1. This Decree takes effect from December 16, 2025.

2. The following legal documents shall cease to be effective from the date this Decree takes effect:

a) Government Decree No. 54/2018/NĐ-CP dated April 16, 2018, guiding the collection of voter opinions on the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, and adjustment of administrative boundaries;

b) Government Decree No. 66/2023/NĐ-CP dated August 24, 2023, amending and supplementing certain articles of Government Decree No. 54/2018/NĐ-CP dated April 16, 2018, guiding the collection of voter opinions on the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, and adjustment of administrative boundaries.

Article 10. Implementation organization

1. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall inspect and guide People's Committees at all levels in collecting public opinions on the establishment, dissolution, merger, division, adjustment of administrative boundaries, and renaming of administrative units.

2. Provincial People's Committees shall be responsible for organizing public opinions on the policy of establishing, dissolving, merging, dividing, adjusting administrative boundaries, and renaming administrative units; guiding, inspecting, allocating funds, and ensuring necessary conditions for commune-level People's Committees in collecting public opinions in accordance with this Decree and the assignment of provincial People's Committees.

3. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government agencies, Chairpersons of provincial and centrally-run city People's Committees, and related organizations and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Decree.

ANNEX

MODEL OPINION FORM FOR HOUSEHOLDS
(Attached to Government Decree No. 321/2025/NĐ-CP dated December 16, 2025)

OPINION FORM FOR HOUSEHOLDS

On the matter of establishing (dissolving, merging, dividing, adjusting administrative boundaries, and renaming) administrative units ...⁽⁴⁾ ...

In accordance with the Law on Local Administration Organization No. 72/2025/QH15 and Government Decree No. .../2025/NĐ-CP dated ..., month ..., year ..., we request households to provide opinions on the establishment (dissolving, merging, dividing, adjusting administrative boundaries, and renaming) of administrative units ...⁽⁴⁾…………

(Address of household ...)

Other opinions (if any): ...

Note:

1. This form is for households.

2. If agree, mark "x" in the agree box, if disagree, mark "x" in the disagree box, if no marking or marking both boxes is invalid.

3. The project and summary of the project have been posted on the electronic information portal of the People's Committee ... and displayed at ...

Annotation

(1) Stamp of the commune-level People's Committee.

(2) Name of the commune-level administrative unit organizing the public opinion survey.

(3) Date of issuance of the public opinion survey form.

(4) Content of the public opinion survey (for example: adjustment of the administrative boundary of commune (district) ..., establishment of commune (district) ...).

(5) Name of the household representative.