MUSCAT: Only 21 out of the 674 candidates for October’s Majlis Al Shura elections are women, a number that is raising concerns about the lack of female representation in Oman’s political system.

In the 2011 elections 77 out of the 1,133 candidates were women, a total of 6.7 per cent. This year women represent just 3.1 per cent. In the current Majlis Al Shura, the lone woman, Naama Jamil Al Busaidi, makes up 1.2 per cent of the 84-member chamber.

HAIL: The local election committee in Hail has revealed that voter registration is a pre-condition to cast the ballot, while emphasizing on enrolling themselves in the voter registry, which begins on Aug. 22 and continues for 21 days. 
Saad Al-Thuweini of the media directorate in Hail municipality said that a voting register will be allocated to both men and women in election centers, saying that every citizen is eligible to vote if he or she aged above 18 years. 

ABU DHABI // The Federal National Council elections will be a politically empowering, unifying process for the whole country, says the chairman of the organising body.

“Any development that a country goes through needs to be a complete one and the political process is one of those essential components,” said Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for FNC Affairs and chairman of the National Election Commission.

Dr Gargash addressed a group of military officers and policemen on the October 3 elections, at the Armed Forces Officers Club on Wednesday.

SHARJAH // Sectarianism and intolerance have no place in campaigns for the Federal National Council polls, the head of Sharjah’s election organising body has said.

Mansour bin Nassar, head of the emirate’s National Election Committee, said candidates should get their messages across in advertisements and posters without being offensive or disrespectful of social values.

“Every candidate has the right to promote himself freely provided that he adheres to values and community principles,” said Mr bin Nassar, at a meeting with Sharjah Municipality.

In Albania, Socialist Movement for Integration of the parliamentary speaker, Ilir Meta, doesn’t rule out a possible reunification with the right wing in the future, as long as this serves to the interest of the country and the citizens.

Commenting the possible return to cooperating with Democratic Party, leader of the SMI, who is a speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Ilir Meta, alludes that the 2009-2013 period may be repeated.

“What’s important for us is for SMI to serve to the country in terms of governing”, Meta says.

Registration of candidates who intend to run for the Federal National Elections (FNC) 2015 will take place from August 16 to 20.

The National Election Committee (NEC) has set up special registration centres across the UAE.