TWO general polling stations have been announced for the September 7 by-election in a key constituency in the Muharraq Governorate.
Eligible voters will be able to cast their ballots at Bahrain International Airport and Seef Mall, said Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister and head of the High Committee Overseeing the Integrity of the Elections Nawaf Al Maawda yesterday.
However, the main voting centre for Muharraq Governorate constituency one, which covers Busaiteen and Al Sayah, will be the Busaiteen Intermediate School for Girls.
Mr Al Maawda also announced the names of senior members of the judiciary who have been appointed to the two general polling stations.
Chief prosecutors Mohammed Al Haza’a and Mouza Al Naar will be leading the proceedings at Bahrain International Airport and Seef Mall, respectively, along with other judicial members.
Meanwhile, judge Mohammed Al Romaihi will be in charge at the Busaiteen Intermediate School for Girls, assisted by other judicial members, while judge Badr Al Abdulla will serve as chairman of the polling committee, and will be assisted by reserve members.
The by-election to Muharraq Governorate constituency one became necessary after the Cassation Court on July 10 revoked the parliamentary membership of Mohammed Al Hussaini for failing to disclose his dual nationality at the time of contesting the November 2022 national elections.
Bahrain’s election rules allow candidates to have only dual GCC citizenship; Mr Al Hussaini reportedly also has Pakistani nationality. He had nominated himself from the same constituency in 2014 and lost in the first round. He then reached the run-off in 2018 losing to Hamad Al Kooheji.
He finally secured the seat in 2022 beating Dr Essam Al Alawi in the second round.
The GDN first highlighted Mr Al Hussaini’s case on June 29 when he appeared in court facing charges of not disclosing his second nationality.
His biography, photographs and statistics related to his parliamentary endeavours were deleted from Parliament’s website shortly after the Cassation Court verdict was relayed to the chamber. He announced that he was quitting political life and planning to return to ‘research and writing’.
Several election hopefuls including women candidates have announced their intention to run in the September 7 by-election.
Eligible candidates, aged 30 and above, wishing to run for the parliamentary seat have been urged to register their names at the polling centre from Saturday to Monday, from 5pm to 9pm.
The by-election on September 7 will take place from 8am to 8pm. A run-off election will be held, if needed, on September 14.
Overseas voting is set for September 3, and September 10, in case of a run-off.
A hotline, 77277277, has also been set up to answer any inquiries from voters, from 10am to 6pm every day except Friday.
Citizens travelling or living abroad will have to register in advance in order to be able to vote, with registration open from August 19 to August 21, during official embassy working hours in the respective countries.
Once registered, they will be allowed to vote for their candidate on September 3, as well as in the run-off election, if necessary, on September 10.
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