Candidates invited to submit applications

KUWAIT: Kuwait's Ministry of Information yesterday decided to cancel item 6 of article 8/2016 of e-media law. By this decision, the ministry is taking its hands off controlling polls carried out by licensed websites and electronic media facilities for the upcoming November 26 parliament elections. It also allows running those polls without the ministry's prior approval, said the ministry in a press release. The ministry last July began implementing the law on regulating electronic media, which was approved and published in the state's official gazette last February.

Applications

Meanwhile, Assistant Director General of the General Department of Legal Affairs for elections in the Interior Ministry Colonel Salah Al-Shatti invited candidates running for the upcoming parliamentary elections slated for November 26 to submit applications of their representatives involved in monitoring the electoral process until the fifth of November.

Shatti said that the representative is required to be registered in the electoral registration in any of the five constituencies, whereas the candidate's agent who acts on behalf of a candidate must be registered in the electoral registry of the candidate's constituency. He explained that the agents and representative must supply a copy of their civil id and two personal photos, saying that the General Department of Legal Affairs would issue their needed identity cards seven days before the elections. He said that 100 schools and 542 committees for male and female voters have been designated for the elections day.

Withdrawal

According to the Ministry of Interior, candidates who wish to withdraw from the race can submit a request to the Elections' Affairs Department up until seven days before elections' day, or November 19. As per Law 20/2012, the first 10 candidates with most votes will win a seat in parliament in each constituency. The electorate can only vote for one candidate per the constituency they're registered in. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has dissolved the parliament on October 16, citing various challenges and regional critical conditions.

Licenses

In the meantime, Kuwait Municipality yesterday announced it has licensed 118 spots for candidates running for the parliamentary elections slated for November 26 in all constituencies. A statement by the Public Relations said that Kuwait Municipality would not hesitate to simplify all procedures pertinent to obtaining a license for the candidates.

It said that 30 licenses were issued in the Capital Governorate and 15 posters, adding that 77 illegal posters have been removed. It pointed out that seven licenses were issued in Farwaniya, 19 in Jahra, 32 in Ahmadi, 10 in Mubarak Al-Kabir and 20 in Hawally.

It said that each candidate would be given two headquarters; one for men and another for women, stressing the importance of facilitating an adequate space for car parking without obstructing traffic. It said that advertisements in front of schools is prohibited, adding that the headquarter must be 500 meters away from schools for the safety of students. - KUNA