“The preparation committee for the elections has studied a number of steps to prove voters’ presence at the polls, which will be revealed shortly,” Interior Minister Sayyid Saud bin Ibrahim Al Busaidi said, adding: “Such measures when enforced will fully prevent double voting.”
Sayyid Saud, who was giving an interview to state-owned Arabic daily Oman, said the ministry would introduce several ‘new mechanisms’ to simplify registration formalities of citizens in the electoral register and “enable the voter to cast his voice with ease and transparency.” He added preparations for the elections, due in October 2011, was under way.
“Amendments have been introduced in election regulations to cope with the current and future modernisation trends and ensure complete security of the exercise,” the minister said.
He added the ministry was exerting maximum efforts to make sure that the best practices and the ‘most advanced and new technologies’ were employed in the voting and counting processes.
Registration of voters began in November last year. Sayyid Saud called upon all citizens who have still not registered so far to do so without delay. They could collect the registration form from their nearest wali’s offices or download it from the ministry’s website, he added.
He outlined guidelines adopted for choosing polling centres. “When choosing the polling centre, the ministry takes several issues into consideration. First and foremost, the centres will be easily and equally accessible to all citizens… More polling stations will be opened if necessary and new technologies to be introduced will minimise overcrowding.”
Sayyid Saud praise widespread participation by women as voters and candidates in the country’s elections. He said he was confident of a much bigger presence by them in the 2011 polls.
He said the democratic process in the sultanate had now ‘matured’, reflecting “our faithful religion and our genuine values which have been given maximum attention and consideration by the government… The principles of respect and neutrality are the basis for implementation of justice in the sultanate.”
