Candidate disputes poll results, files petition
Municipality intensifies crackdown
KUWAIT CITY, Dec 5: Fifth Constituency candidate in the recently-concluded parliamentary election Dr Hussein Al-Rashidi on Monday filed a petition at the Constitutional Court, disputing results of the election due to alleged violations in the voting process.
Candidate from the First Constituency Essa Hajji also filed a similar petition, saying there were irregularities in the voting process.
They claimed the electoral procedures were not carried out based on the principles of equality and justice, in addition to degradation of one’s ability to vote which infringes the whole principle of representation in the Parliament, not to mention grave violation of relevant laws.
The two petitioners challenged the top 10 winners in both constituencies, as well as the ministers of Interior and Justice, demanding for announcement of actual results that reflect the will of the voters after conducting comprehensive vote recount and rectification of results. They also faulted the entire vote counting process.
Crackdown intensified: The Public Relations Department in Kuwait Municipality has announced that the Shops and Advertisement Inspection Unit, which is affiliated to the Audit and Services Follow-up Department in the Municipality branch in Hawally, intensified inspection of shops’ licenses and commercial advertisements in November.
In a press statement, Audit and Services Follow-up Department Director Faleh Al-Otaibi disclosed the campaigns resulted in the issuance of 123 citations for various violations related to advertisements and inspection of 1,225 shops to determine whether they hold valid commercial licenses or not.
He indicated that out of 1,225 inspections in shops, there were 52 violations related to display of the shops’ names and their activities before receiving licenses issued by the Municipality, whereas 44 violations were for failure to renew the license and 15 other violations for illegal advertising.
In the meantime, Shops and Advertisement Superintendent in the Municipality branch in Hawally Muhammad Al-Qoubae revealed that 19 violations have been settled and the total amount generated from these settlements reached KD 1,900.
Al-Qoubae affirmed the inspection campaigns are ongoing to ensure the rules and regulations are strictly observed, urging shop owners to adhere with the rules and regulations in order to avoid legal repercussions.