Council member elected unopposed

Muscat: One of the 717 candidates for this year's Majlis As'Shura (Advisory Council) elections has won his seat in the sixth term of the council uncontested, Omani officials have announced.

"The elections for the sixth term will be held in October this year and the date would be announced soon," Shaikh Abdullah Bin Shuwain Al Hosni, Information Undersecretary and Chairman of the Information Committee and Member of the Main Election Committee, told Gulf News yesterday.

"We are very happy at the record number of candidates, especially the increased number of women candidates," he added.

One of the two sitting women members, Raheela Al Riyami, is seeking re-election for the third time among a record number of 20 women candidates contesting this year's elections.

In the country's first open elections in 2003, 15 women were in fray among the 506 candidates for 83 seats and two got elected. Lujaina Mohsin Darwish is not seeking re-election.

Being a lone candidate to file his nomination, Ahmad Al Shamshi gets elected uncontested from the newly formed Al Shinaina wilayat in Buraimi Governorate, which was formed last year through a Royal Decree.

Seven women contesting in Batinah region

- Oman's second open elections will be held in October for 83 seats in the Majlis As'Shura (Advisory Council).

- 717 candidates, including 20 women are in the fray for 83 seats from 61 wilayats in country's nine regions.

- A wilayat with a population of 30,000 and more sends two representatives to the Council.

- Two of the 15 women candidates got elected in 2003 when Oman for the first gave franchise to vote to every citizen above the age of 21.

- Dhofar Governorate from southern region has a record number of 174 candidates in fray while 22 candidates, least among all regions, are contesting elections in newly-formed Buraimi governorate, neighbouring Al Ain.

- Seven women are contesting in Batinah region in north while six are seeking election from Muscat Governorate.