Transparency to be hallmark of Bahrain’s upcoming electoral process

TDT | Manama           

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Staff Reporter

As Bahrain is all set to celebrate its greatest democratic festival on November 12, the electoral committee has reiterated that transparency will remain the top priority throughout the process. This came as the committee highlighted the transparency procedures in the website vote. bh, which is exclusively dedicated to the upcoming Parliament and Municipal Councils Elections. “For a period of seven days, voter lists will be displayed at electoral districts, headquarters, and public places designated by the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs,” a statement on transparency procedures by the committee says.

“Voters can file complaints with the electoral authorities in cases of objections arising after verifying the voter data over various electoral issues including the listing of vote names.” The final voter lists are revised in accordance with the committee’s decisions and final rulings, and these lists are used as the voting data when people reach the polling booths to exercise their political rights. “Ample avenues are offered for the voters to check the presence of their names in the voters’ list.

They can browse through the election website, visit the governorate’s supervisory centre apart from contacting the call centres.” Even the candidates are welcomed to explore the transparency of electoral procedures. “A candidate receives a host of democratic powers once his candidacy is accepted by the committee. Every candidate will receive one official copy of the list of voters from the constituency, from which he is contesting the polls.” The Kingdom will head to the polls to elect new members of the House of Representatives and municipal councils on November 12 as His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a Royal order setting the date of elections.

The order also said a second round of elections, termed as the run-offs, will take place on November 19 if required. Bahraini citizens who want to run in the upcoming elections for parliamentary seats must submit their applications between October 5 and October 9. Meanwhile, the head of the election process, Nawaf Abdulla Hamza, announced that the voters list will be displayed between September 15 and September 21. “The procedure is in line with the commitment to the provisions of Decree-Law No. (14) of 2002 regarding the exercise of political rights, stipulating the presentation of voters’ lists for a period of one week and at least 45 days before the date set for holding the elections.

“Technical, logistic and administrative preparations have all been undertaken to receive voters at the four supervisory committees – Capital Governorate (Khawla Secondary Girls’ School), Muharraq Governorate (Al Hedaya Al Khalifiya Scondary Boy’s School), Northern Governorate (Yathrib Intermediate Girls’ School) and the Southern Governorate (Al Moustaqbel Primary Girls’ School), during the aforementioned period from 05:00 pm until 09:00 pm.” The lists will also be available electronically on the official election website, vote.bh, in order to enable voters to inquire about their constituencies and submit requests to change.