Municipal election: Proposal to allow voting from abroad

Manama : Parliamentarians have tabled a proposal to permit Bahraini citizens living across the globe to cast their votes in Municipal Council elections from abroad.  

If the proposal receives approval in the Parliament, Bahrainis abroad will be able to exercise their voting rights as they do in the Parliamentary election. 

This was unfolded when a bill submitted by MPs Theyab Al Nuaimi, Osama Al Khaja, Mohammed Al Maarifi, Mohsen Al Bakri and Isa Turki, stipulated adding an article to the Decree Law 3 of 2002 with regards to the election system of Municipal Council members.

The amendment allows citizens, who are abroad during the municipal elections period and registered in the elections lists, to elect their representatives in municipal councils.

According to the presenters of the bill, the move falls in line with the instructions of Law Decree 14 of 2002 with regards to political rights.

The bill was recently discussed and approved by the Public Utilities and Environment Committee in the House.

The committee reviewed it with the related official authorities such as the municipal councils of the four governorates of the Kingdom as well as with the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry.

The rest of the MPs will review the committee’s report on the bill and vote on it.