1. The right to stand for election and to vote is one of the most important civil and political rights and one of the pillars of democratic governance, which is based on the principle that people are the source of all authority. A transparent and fair electoral process is one of the most important guarantees for a country governed by the rule of law. The absence of this right or the interference with its exercise diminishes the legal elements of the State. 2. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain guarantees the right of citizens to nominate themselves (stand for election) and to vote by explicitly stating in Paragraph (e) of Article (1) thereof that, “Citizens, both men and women, are entitled to participate in public affairs and may enjoy political rights, including the right to vote and to stand for election in accordance with this Constitution and the conditions and situations set out in the law. No citizen may be deprived of the right to vote or to nominate oneself except in accordance with the law.” 3. In addition, the legislator established a number of laws that laid out the detailed rules regulating, and protecting, the exercise of the right to stand for election and to vote, including Decree-Law No. (14) of 2002 on the Exercise of Political Rights, as amended, and Decree-Law No. (15) of 2002 on the Shura Council and the Parliament (House of Representatives), as amended. The above mentioned legislation sets forth the rules that explain how the Shura Council is formed, the term of its mandate, the conditions observed for appointing its members, and the conditions prescribed for the termination of membership, whether through forfeiture or upon request of the member. In addition, it sets forth the composition of the House of Representatives, the mechanism for electing its members through general, secret, and direct election according to single member electoral system, the prescribed term of office, the conditions and procedures to be taken into account in the nomination for membership of the House of Representatives, the provisions related to electoral propaganda, the prescribed conditions for termination of membership, whether through removal or resignation, in addition to the penalties for violating its provisions. 4. This is in addition to the legislation that regulates matters relating to the right to participate in public affairs, especially the Municipalities Law promulgated by Decree-Law No. (35) of 2001, as amended, which divides the Kingdom of Bahrain into a number of municipalities and the Capital Secretariat. It sets forth the composition mechanism of the members of the municipal councils and the Capital Secretariat Council, the conditions that must be met by those who are members thereof, specifying the powers vested in the municipal councils and the system of work, the provisions related to its executive body, and their allocated financial resources. Decree-Law No. (3) of 2002 7