A special voting centre has been allocated for citizens infected with coronavirus (Covid-19).
The Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC) in Sanabis is being prepared for the purpose, confirmed a Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission (LLOC) representative.
It was earlier listed as one of 15 general polling stations set up across the country.
The commission official added that the election authorities are working closely with the Health Ministry to ensure that all necessary steps are taken in line with the desired requirements.
The nation goes to the polls on November 12, with a run-off voting scheduled for November 19.
A total of 344,713 voters will elect 40 members of Parliament and 30 municipal councillors for the four governorates; the Capital Trustees Board is appointed by His Majesty King Hamad.
A total of 512 candidates are contesting the elections under the theme: ‘We vote for Bahrain’.
The BIECC was converted into an integrated centre for testing and treating Covid-19 patients during the peak of the pandemic and was later designated as the venue for the vaccination trial.
Subsequently, it was also designated as one of the several Covid-19 vaccination centres in the country.
“The BIECC has been allocated as the voting centre for people infected with Covid-19,” the LLOC official told the GDN yesterday.
“This was confirmed by commission president and Parliament and municipal elections executive director Nawaf Hamza.
“The LLOC team is working in close coordination with the Health Ministry and the National Taskforce to Combat Covid-19 to make sure that the place is fit to receive voters who are infected, in line with the protocols.”
The BIECC was earlier listed among the 15 general polling stations set up across the country.
The other centres are Seef Mall, the Religious Institute, Sitra Mall, Al Hidd Primary School for Girls, Bahrain International Airport, the King Fahad Causeway, Hamad Town Secondary School for Boys, Education Ministry Hall, Isa Town, Wadi Al Sail Primary School for Boys, Safra Primary School for Girls, the Bahrain International Circuit, Shaikha Mozah bin Hamad Al Khalifa School for Girls, University of Bahrain and Muharraq Sports Club.
In addition, 40 schools have been assigned as voting centres for all the 40 constituencies across the four governorates.
A committee consisting of a judge, a secretary and a LLOC member will oversee the voting at the 55 polling centres.
The BIECC centre will be headed by LLOC assistant counsellor Ali Ghanem Khalifa Al Binali, secretary Amani Amina and member Muhammad Al Tamimi.
A set of judges, members and secretaries have also been lined up as reserves.
The GDN reported yesterday that 449 monitors representing 11 civil societies will monitor the polls and register any violations.
Meanwhile, elections (for parliament only) will be held in Bahrain’s embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions abroad on November 8, and in case of a run-off, the re-election will be held on November 15.
raji@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))