1.
Article (19) of Decree-Law No. (14) of 2002 on the Exercise of Political Rights as amended, stipulates
that, “Law enforcement in the headquarters of the committees provided for in this Law is vested
in the chair of the committee, who may be seek the assistance of the Public Security Forces. The
Public Security Forces may not enter the premises of the mentioned committees unless requested
to do so by the chair of the committee. The candidates or their agents may enter the premises
of the sub-committees.” Article (20) of the same Law followed stating that, “The secretary of the
committee shall write down the minutes and record the decisions of the committee. The chair and
secretary of the committee shall sign the minutes.”
2.
While Article (21) of the above-mentioned Law stipulates that, “The referendum or election process
shall go on continuously from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. However, if there are voters at the headquarters
of the sub-committee, who have not cast their votes and wish to do so, in that case the ballot shall
continue for such sub-committee only. If all voters registered in the list cast their votes before the
end of the scheduled time for referendum or election, the chair shall declare the end of the polling
process once the last voter casts his/her ballot.”
3.
Article (27) of Decree-Law No. (15) of 2002 on the Shura Council and the House of Representatives, as
amended, stipulates that, “All election propaganda activities in all parts of the Kingdom must cease
24 hours before the date of the ballot.” The second paragraph of Article (3) of Ministerial Decision
No. (77) of 2006 on organizing the election campaign for elections of the House of Representatives
and municipal councils, amended by Decision No. (42) of 2010, stipulates that, “… It is prohibited
to hold electoral festivals and gatherings at a distance less than two hundred meters on all sides of
the headquarters of the supervisory committees and the polling and counting committees. In all
cases, electoral propaganda shall not interfere with security, decency, religious beliefs, or traditions
prevailing in the society.”
4.
With regard to the municipal affairs, the provisions of Articles (19), (20), and (21) of Decree-Law No.
(3) of 2002 concerning the system of election of members of municipal councils and its amendments,
bear, in substance, the same provisions regulating the electoral process of the members of the House
of Representatives.
5.
The NIHR’s team monitored the polling and counting centers during the first round and the run-off
of the election of the members of the House of Representatives and the Municipal Councils. The
NIHR observed signboards displayed at sufficient distances from the election centers to facilitate
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