Anecdotes cheer up registration for 2016 parliament elections
With final name lists for the 2016 parliament hopefuls were filed, stories that sprung out of the registration process didn’t fall short of few surprises and anecdotes. The ‘siblings’ phenomenon was the most prominent, as former MP Safa AlHashem is currently a candidate in the third constituency, while her brother; Salah, is running in the second constituency. A similar case is ‘Al-Sayegh’ brothers; Mohammad in the second constituency and Ali in the third. Finally, former veteran MP Sayed Hussein Al-Qallaf is running in the first constituency alongside; or maybe against, his brother Sayed Fakher.
As amusing, and somehow odd that seemed, yet, this is not the first time these incidents took place. Back in 1963, late MP Khaled Al-Mueseb and his brother Mudhie both ran in the fourth constituency elections. Both won seats, but Mudhie then resigned. Another 2016 anecdote is when a nominee forgot to bring his citizenship; an essential document required to complete the registration process.
Meanwhile, another hopeful only had KD three in cash on him to pay for registration fees, thinking that the electronic payment service (K-net) was available at the Elections’ Affairs Department. The registration fee is KD 50, which yet another nominee paid in full, but in the form of loose change. Registration for the 2016 parliamentary election candidacy started on October 19. Elections are to take place on November 26.
Law number 35/1962, which deals with parliamentary elections, permits candidates to file their candidacies to contest elections, as all eligible candidates should be Kuwaiti citizens over 30 years of age and are required to be fluent in written and spoken Arabic. As per Law 20/2012, the first 10 candidates with most votes will win a seat in parliament in each constituency. The electorate can only vote for one candidate per constituency.