24 women among 344 candidates in Kuwait poll race

Manama: The number of Kuwaitis in the elections race for the parliament is now 344 after one more candidate pulled out on Sunday.

Abdullah Omar Al Utaibi who had signed up to run in the Fifth constituency said that he was withdrawing from the elections to form a new parliament next month.

Candidates have until January 25 to pull out as around 400,000 Kuwaitis get ready to elect their 50 representatives in the parliament.

Official figures indicate that 24 women are still in the race, down from 29 when the registration process ended on December 31. One woman was barred from running after an adhoc committee set up to vet applications ruled her out. The panel also barred 14 men from running either for legal rulings against them or reputation issues.

Several of the disqualified candidates on Sunday filed to be reinstated in the race.

The elections will be held on February 2.