1. Decree-Law No. (14) of 2002 on the Exercise of Political Rights and its amendments, regulated the matters relating to receiving the applications for candidacy. Article (15) of this Law stipulates that, “The date for the general elections of the House of Representatives shall be determined by a Royal Order. The Order shall be issued at least 45 days before the date specified for the elections. The date for run-off elections shall be determined by a decision of the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs, and Endowments. The decision shall be issued at least (30) days before the date specified for the re-run. The Order or the Decision shall include the opening and closing dates for nomination.” 2. The second paragraph of Article (3) of the same Law, has excluded certain individuals from running for office in the House of Representatives, stipulating that, “A person shall be denied nomination to run for the House of Representatives election, if such person is: 1. Sentenced to a criminal felony even if a special amnesty has been granted to him/her or he/she has been rehabilitated. 2. Sentenced to imprisonment for intentional offenses for more than six months, even if an individual pardon has been issued. 3. Leaders and members of dissolved political organizations by a final sentence for committing a serious violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Kingdom or any of its laws. 4. Anyone who intentionally destroys or disrupts the conduct of constitutional or parliamentary life by terminating or leaving the parliamentary work in the House of Representatives, or had his membership revoked for the same reasons.” 3. In completion of the provisions related to the above-mentioned candidacy, Decree-Law No. (15) of 2002 on the Shura Council and the House of Representatives, as amended, sets forth the conditions that must be met by the candidate for membership of the House of Representatives. Article (11) stipulates that, “Without prejudice to the provisions stipulated in the Law on the Exercise of Political Rights, the candidate running for membership of the House of Representatives must: (a) be a Bahraini national, that has acquired the Bahraini nationality for a period of not less than ten years, and is not a holder of any other nationality, with the exception of the nationality of any of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, provided that his original nationality shall be the Bahraini nationality, and that he/she enjoys full civil and political rights. (b) The candidate’s name must be on the voters’ list for the constituency he/she represents. (c) Must not be less than 30 years of age on the day of elections. (d) Must be fluent in reading and writing the Arabic language. (e) The membership of the candidate of the Shura Council or the House of Representatives must not have been dropped by a decision of the council to which he/she is member, due to loss of trust or credibility or due to negligence of his/her duties as a member. However, such person may nominate himself/herself if the legislative term during which the decision to drop his/her membership ends, 35