Muscat: For the first time, Oman will hold elections for its Municipal Council (MC) in October, according to an announcement by Sayyid Hamoud Bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior.
The date for the elections will be announced later but the nomination process will start from May 19. The nominations will close on May 30, says a report by the official Oman News Agency (ONA).
Sayyid Hamoud pointed out that the citizens who fulfil the conditions stipulated in Article No 8 of the Municipal Council's Law, promulgated by the Royal Decree No 116/2011, should submit their applications to offices of the walis in the wilayats in which the candidates wish to contest the municipal elections. Interested candidates are also required to fill up the forms designated for this purpose, which are available at the walis' offices.
Members of Shura and State Council are not eligible to contest the Municipal Elections. The rules also bar all government employees from contesting MC elections.
Under a law promulgated last year, 61 wilayats in the country will have their own MC. The election announcement has not clarified if elections will be held for each MC or a centralised MC would be elected.
