KUWAIT CITY, Dec 8: Some former lawmakers and prospective candidates in the coming elections have threatened to file a case at the Constitutional Court to verify the constitutionality of the dissolution of the Parliament, reports Al-Mostaqbal daily.
The dissolution decree has drawn contradicting reactions from the former lawmakers and constitutional experts.
Former MP Adnan Al-Mutawwa said a majority of the legal and constitutional experts consider the dissolution unconstitutional because the law mandates the formation of the government before such a step is taken. He affirmed there is a plan to file a case to look into the constitutionality of the decision to dissolve the Parliament.
Meanwhile, Al-Jarida daily has reported that a proposal has been presented to hold the election in February so it does not coincide with the examinations of students in mid-January. Sources explained the public schools are usually used as voting precincts; hence, it is better to hold the election after the examination period.
On the other hand, MP Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabaei disclosed HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, in the recently-concluded meeting with the opposition, said the former premier, Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, resigned due to the mounting tension in the local political arena. He also stressed the need to fully abide by the law, which prohibits primaries, Al-Tabtabaei added.
Moreover, Information Ministry Undersecretary Sheikh Salman Al-Hamoud has been quoted as saying the ministry will be neutral in its coverage of the election and it will treat all candidates equally. He stressed the need for everyone to cooperate to ensure fair elections, hoping this will pave the way for the people to unite and work hard to achieve the development goals of the country.
Elections
Meanwhile, the Electoral Affairs Department at the Ministry of Interior started preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections immediately after the issuance of an Amiri decree on the dissolution of the National Assembly, reports Al-Anba daily quoting sources.
Sources affirmed the department is ready, especially since the list and register of eligible voters has been compiled and the necessary arrangements with other government institutions are in full swing. Sources said the candidates’ application forms are now being distributed to the concerned authorities to allow them to register in their respective constituencies.
Sources revealed arrangements have also been made for the preparation of the ballot boxes, while the election rules and regulations have been put in place. Sources added a team has been formed to work with other departments at the ministry and some of the employees in these departments will help in the registration of candidates. Sources said the department is just waiting for an official instruction to commence the process.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Interior will assign five detective police teams to pursue any person or group that tries to conduct primary elections, reports Al-Anba daily quoting an informed security source as saying.
The same sources noted the teams will comprise 250 officers, and each team will be headed by a colonel and directly supervised by the ministry’s undersecretary Lieutenant General Ghazi Al-Omar.
The teams will be authorized to monitor suspicious moves of holding primary elections, in coordination with the public prosecution, where sites will be raided to arrest violators. The teams will focus on specific governorates, including Jahra, Ahmadi, Farwaniya, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, and Hawalli, the source indicated.