More poll-runners cry foul in vote
Four ministers accept ministerial posts
KUWAIT CITY, Oct 12: The Constitutional Court on Wednesday received 18 petitions related to the parliamentary elections held on Sept 29, increasing the total number of such petitions to 27 so far.
The court expects the filing of more petitions on Thursday -- the final day for taking such a step.
Following are the candidates and former MPs who filed petitions against the election results on Wednesday:
First Constituency: Attorney Mustafa Essa Yousef and former MP Ali Abdulrasoul Al-Qattan. Yousef filed the petition as a voter since he did not run for the election.
Second Constituency: candidates Fahd Sayyah Abu Shaiba, Fahd Abdulaziz Al-Masoud, Muhammad Mefarej Al-Mutairi; and former MPs Khalid Al-Anzi and Ahmed Al-Hamad
Third Constituency: former MP Mubarak Al-Arow
Fourth Constituency: candidate Mubarak Beneia Al-Orf and former MPs Dhaifullah Buramia, Farz Al-Daihani and Askar Al-Anzi
Fifth Constituency: candidates Mubarak Abdullah Fehad, Homoud Al-Hamdan, Faisal Muhammad Al-Azmi, Ahmed Muhammad Al-Otaibi and former MP Homoud Mebrek Al Azmi
They claimed that they won the elections, but were announced as losers due to errors in the counting of votes.
Former MP Ahmad Al-Hamad filed another petition on the constitutionality of Amiri Decree 136 of 2022 regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly; as well as decrees Five and Six of 2022. He pointed out that Decree 136 was issued as per the request of the government a few hours after it took the oath, arguing it is unreasonable for the new government to request for dissolution of the Assembly. He clarified that submitting the decree on the first day of the government means there was no dispute with the Assembly, so the request is unconstitutional.
He said he did not touch on the fact that dissolving the Assembly is the sole authority of His Highness the Amir, citing Article 107 of the Constitution stating the dissolution decree must be issued according to the request of the government and it should include the rationale behind the dissolution.
He continued saying that Decrees Five and Six were issued at a time the government should take decisions only on urgent matters, but he thinks there was no element of urgency in the issuance of both decrees.
Meanwhile, MP Abdullah Al-Mudaf denied the allegation that he accepted a ministerial position, stressing he has no intention to join the new government. Unconfirmed information states that four MPs have accepted ministerial posts.
In a related development, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Wednesday met MPs Jenan Bu Shehri and Alia Al-Khalid as part of the ongoing consultations regarding the formation of the new government. Bu Shehri disclosed they discussed a number of topics, such as objecting to the postponement of the inaugural session of the Assembly according to Article 106 of the Constitution. She said both parties stressed the need to be committed to the implementation of the reform policy to ensure cooperation between the government and Assembly. She also stressed the importance of implementing the digital system in public institutions as an effective way of combating corruption and the completion of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project so it becomes the core of Silk City, which will be a qualitative turning point in the economy and enhance foreign and national investments.
Al-Khalid confirmed the meeting yielded positive results and focused on the need for the government to present a work program of progress and achievements. She emphasized the need to establish a public authority for citizenship to address nationality issues in a professional manner.