The preparations for the Federal National Council (FNC) elections, including the arrangements at polling stations and the fine tuning of the electronic voting system, are going on ahead of the schedule. This was stated by Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and FNC Affairs and Chairman of the National Election Committee (NEC), while addressing a preparatory meeting. Dr Gargash affirmed that the new FNC’s first session will start in the third week of October.
The National Election Committee (NEC) discussed the preparations of the Election Management Committee for the Federal National Council elections at the meeting chaired by Dr Gargash. He said, “After the list of candidates is announced, they can start campaigning within the regulations prescribed by the NEC.” It is not allowed to use public places for the campaign and no comments on other candidates will be tolerated, he asserted.
A number of editors of local newspapers and columnists were briefed about the preparations during the meeting.
Dr Gargash urged the media to provide an honourable electoral model for the UAE and its people. “The media is a true partner, the mirror of society and it plays a vital role in strengthening awareness on the political culture among the community,” he said.
The committee also reviewed a detailed report on the preparations at the 13 polling stations in the UAE. The number of the electoral college, geographical distribution and ease of access to the centres for the public were taken into account in deciding the distribution of the polling stations.
Full Article: FNC election process ahead of schedule, says Gargash – UAE – Zawya.
