The poll supervisory centre in Busaiteen lay silent for the entire four hours that it was open yesterday, with no candidates filing nominations for the Muharraq Governorate constituency One by-election.
Only one hopeful arrived yesterday at the Busaiteen Intermediate Girls School to complete his candidacy application, which he began on Saturday, after he was asked to undergo an Arabic-language assessment.
The applicant, Saleh Al Sadah, was the lowest-voted candidate in the constituency during the 2022 general elections, having received only 50 votes.
He had come to the centre to complete his application after taking and passing an Arabic-language test, which is required of all applicants who do not have a higher education degree.
After publishing a video on his Instagram account bashing the media’s coverage of his candidacy application late on Saturday, Mr Al Sadah once again refused to speak to the GDN and other newspapers.
Both yesterday and Saturday, he also refused to have his photograph taken, making derogatory remarks about the media in front of the judge and other workers at the election centre.
Supervisory Commission chancellor Dr Ali Al Shuwaikh told the GDN that applications of all five candidates have been accepted.
“All candidates have been accepted and have received messages of approval. They can begin advertising right away,” he said.
On Saturday, five Busaiteen residents filed poll papers – ex-MP Hamad Al Kooheji, businessman Ibrahim Al Shaikh, lawyer Dr Khalwa Al Shamsi, researcher Dr Nada Bin Shams and Mr Al Sadah.
Tomorrow is the final day that hopefuls can file nominations to join the race and several people who had publicly declared their intention to contest are expected to submit their papers.
On the first day of the opening, Dr Al Shuwaikh told the media that candidacy requests are either accepted or rejected within three days of the application. Rejections can be appealed at the Supreme Appeals Court.
Judge Dr Al Shuwaikh
The supervisory centre not only has its own committee of judges but also has two officials to register candidacy requests and four computers for constituents to check voters’ rolls.
The special elections will be held to fill the seat of former member Mohammed Al Hussaini, whose parliamentary membership was revoked last month after it emerged that he had failed to disclose his dual nationality at the time of contesting the November 2022 national elections.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.
The Busaiteen Intermediate Girls’ School will be open to receive nominations today between 5pm and 9pm.
Only one hopeful arrived at the Busaiteen Intermediate Girls School yesterday
On September 7, voting will take place from 8am to 8pm. A run-off will be held, if needed, on September 14.
Overseas voting is set for September 3, and September 10 in case of a run-off.
Outside the constituency, two general polling stations have been announced at Bahrain International Airport and Seef Mall, where eligible voters will be able to cast their ballots.
A hotline, 77277277, has also been set up to answer any enquiries from voters, from 10am to 6pm every day except on Friday.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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