Appeal filed as uproar over fraud, multiple voting in 2024 poll grows
‘Kuwaiti by origin’ becomes bone of contention
KUWAIT CITY, April 16: The recent National Assembly elections held on the 14th of this month have sparked controversy, leading to a direct appeal filed with the Constitutional Court, reports Al-Anba daily.
Nasser Al-Nasrallah, a candidate from the First Constituency, and Suhaila Al-Salem, a candidate from the Third Constituency, jointly filed the appeal, challenging both the integrity of the elections and the constitutionality of Law No. 44 of 1994.
Al-Nasrallah and Al-Salem allege that thousands of fraudulent and duplicate votes were cast in the elections, with names appearing multiple times on voter lists. They argue that this compromises the fairness and validity of the electoral process.
One of the focal points of their appeal is the contention that Decree Law No. 4 of 2024, which reinforced electoral restrictions without providing avenues for objection or judicial challenge, violates constitutional principles. They argue that this lack of accountability undermines the legitimacy of the electoral process.
Moreover, Al-Nasrallah emphasizes that Law No. 44 of 1994, which grants voting rights to the children of naturalized citizens and labels them as ‘Kuwaitis by origin’, contradicts the provisions of the Constitution.
He asserts that the designation of ‘Kuwaiti by origin’ is reserved for founding Kuwaitis and their descendants, as outlined in Article 82 of the Constitution.
The appeal seeks to restore order by advocating for electoral nominations to be restricted to founding Kuwaitis and their direct descendants, in accordance with the constitutional definition of inherent Kuwaiti citizenship.
This move aims to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that only those constitutionally defined as Kuwaiti citizens can participate in elections for the National Assembly.