20. One of the observers of the NIHR’s monitoring team observed two similar cases in one of the public
centers, that when the voter applied for the ballot paper for his constituency, he found out that the
ballot paper issued to him belonged to another electoral district, different form the one assigned
to him in the voters’ list, and contrary to what is registered in the official website of the Supreme
Committee for the General Supervision of the Soundness of Election.
21. On the other hand, the NIHR’s monitoring team did not observe any tampering with the ballot boxes
in any way by voter or others, nor voters or others impersonating someone else for the purpose of
voting.
22. Through the visits carried out by the NIHR to the provincial and public polling stations, the observers
did not notice the polling and counting committees opening additional ballot boxes other than the
original ones at the start of the voting process, except in the Awali Club public center. During the
first round, the committee opened two additional boxes for the parliamentary and municipal
elections of the Southern Governorate independently. In addition, during the re-run, the committee
opened an additional box for the parliamentary elections and another box for the municipal
elections. In all cases, these additional boxes were displayed to everybody present to confirm that
it is empty of any contents or ballot papers before placing such boxes. Moreover, the closed filled
boxes were placed in front of all.
23. The polling stations, which the NIHR monitored, closed the polling boxes at exactly 8:00 pm. Some
of the heads of the polling and counting committees called on the NIHR’s team to verify closing the
ballot boxes on time with the designated lock (seal).
24. During the voting process, no objections affecting the process of parliamentary or municipal
elections were reported by the voters, candidates, or others. However, it was proved to a member
of the NIHR’s team that one of the candidates objected before the polling and counting committee
at Seef Mall public center to the presence of barriers that prevent him from monitoring the polling
boxes. In addition, another candidate objected before the polling and counting committee at the
Awali Club public center to the smoking of the chair of the committee in the election center.
Third: The stage of counting and announcing the results
1. Article (24) of Decree-Law No. (14) of 2002 on the Exercise of Political Rights, as amended,
stipulates that, “When the designated time for referendum or election ends, the chairman of each
subcommittee shall declare the end of the voting process after ensuring that all voters present
in the committee’s headquarters have cast their ballots at that time. Such shall be recorded in a
report signed by the chairman and the secretary of the committee, after which the subcommittee
shall begin the process of counting votes. Every candidate or his/her agent shall be allowed to
observe the ballot counting process, excluding the deliberations of the committee.”
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