Manama: With the completion of the demarcation of the new constituencies, the Kingdom of Bahrain announced the kick start of the electoral lists wherein all eligible voters are required to register within seven days starting from today September 25th, 2014.
“This is the first step towards hosting the 4th term of general elections of the parliament in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa told the media on Wednesday during a Press conference.
The Minister called upon all citizens of the Kingdom, with right to vote, to exercise their constitutional right.
Commenting on the dissolving of the Central governorate and the bifurcation of the areas within this governorate among the remaining four, the Minister said that the areas of the dissolved governorate were being amalgamated into the Northern, Southern and Capital governorates.
When the people visit their respective electoral offices, they will be informed of where they can cast their vote, the Minister added.
“The constituencies remain, the polling booths remain. The only change is that it is no more under the Central Governorate,” he added. Every single voter has to check with the electoral registration counters of their respective areas. The government has also brought the process of registration into the smart phone, through an app, the minister added.
He said that it is important to exercise individual franchise, but the choice to boycott is as much a personal choice. A hotline has been established to help in the smooth conduct of the electoral process, the Minister added.
Asked about the facilities for casting of the ballot for those who cannot be in their areas, the minister said that general booths will be arranged so that those who are away from their areas can cast their vote in the area of their choice.
Turning to the question of monitoring of the elections and the involvement of international agencies and Arab monitors, the minister said the country had its own mechanism in place and the conduct of the election is an internal matter of Bahrain. “It represents the will of the people of Bahrain and is to be seen as the culmination of the opinions as expressed in the National Dialogue,” he added.
He said that all reports in the media that ran contrary to the plans spelt out by the government are half-baked and ill-confounded.
The upcoming elections in Bahrain lead the way forward in the ambitious ongoing political reform process initiated by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, carried out by His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and supported by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and First Deputy Premier Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, he added.