[Oman-L] Majlis al-Shura elections 2007

[Joachim Duester]

Source: Khaleej Times, 31 May 2007

More than 700 candidates will vie for membership 
in the Majlis Ash'shura in national elections 
to be held later this year.

The main election committee said here that it had
approved the names of 717 contestants, including 
20 women, from the 61 wilayats in the country.

In the last polls, in October 2003, 491 men 
and 15 women candidates, were in the fray. 
Wilayats or districts with more than 30,000 
inhabitants will elect two members, while provinces
with fewer people choose one member each.

All nationals aged 21 and above, men and women, 
are qualified to vote and stand as candidates.

In the 2003 election, the country's first open 
ballot, more than 800,000 people were eligible 
to vote. Some 260,000 people, including nearly 
100,000 women, registered for voting, with over 
70 per cent actually casting their votes.