(MENAFN- Arab News) MAKKAH: The local committee for the third round of municipal elections in Makkah has issued the election schedule after approval from the Higher Electoral Committee.
The elections will take place one week earlier due to the influx of pilgrims to the holy city said secretary of Makkah municipalilty and head of the local election committee Dr. Osama bin Fadl Al-Bar.
The number of election constituencies has also increased from eight to 10 constituencies.
According to Al-Bar registration of voters and updating of previous information will be completed between the 1st to the 24th of Dul-Qaadah while registration of candidates will take place between the 8th and 26th of Dul-Qaadah.
The elections will take place on the 1st of Rabea Al-Awal 1437 A.H.
Al-Bar confirmed that support committees are working on preparing all election centers to be ready for the start of the elections on the scheduled date while the IT committee has also completed technical preparations for all centers in Makkah. All computers have been electronically linked through the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs' network.
Information about voters and candidates are registered on a database system he said.
An operations center equipped with a large screen and computers linked to the ministry's network has also been prepared to directly monitor work of the local election committee while geographic maps for all election constituencies have also been prepared.
The Media and Awareness Committee has begun setting up awareness signs and banners across 30 men's and 17 women's registration centers in Makkah Al-Jomoum Madraka and Asafan as well as setting up sites at various malls and centers to distribute awareness pamphlets and election information.
Al-Bar said the upcoming elections will include new developments as per the new regulations. These include an increase of elected municipal council members to two-thirds as opposed to one half; lowering the registration date for candidates from 21 to 18 years old; making the seats of the president of the council independent from the secretary; and increasing the authority of the council in order to achieve more work and upgrade councils.
Women will participate in the upcoming elections both as voters and candidates for the first time.