Oman expands voting rights

Oman yesterday took a historic decision to open up its electoral system when Interior Minister Sayyid Soud bin Ibrahim Al Busaidi announced that every 'citizen of Omani origin' above the age of 21 would be eligible to vote in the Shura Council election to be held on October 9, 2003.

So far, in a complex electoral procedure, only 25 per cent of the population above the age of 21 were eligible to cast votes for the Council elections in each wilayat.

And, that too voters were nominated by the Wali (head of wilayat) and the other prominent people of the wilayat.

However, when the elections for the fifth term of the Majlis Al Shura will take place next year, every citizen (of Omani origin) above the age of 21 will be eligible to vote. The naturalised Omanis are not eligible to participate in the electorate process. Oman's Shura Council elections take place every three years.

Al Busaidi said: "Following the orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to expand the base of citizens' participation in Shura Council elections next year, it has been decided that every male and female citizen that is of Omani origin and reaches the age of 21 years on January 1 of the year of the elections is eligible to vote."

Al Busaidi added that the new order would take effect from the fifth term elections to be held next year.

"The election dates have been fixed for the second Thursday of October month to coincide with the end of the school vacation," he said.

He said that to implement the Royal Order, the Interior Ministry would shortly open doors for registration of the voters.