The Higher Committee for Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC) Elections on Sunday announced the preliminary list of candidates for the 2019 SCC membership. The list named 189 candidates, including 41 women, from the nine constituencies of the Emirate of Sharjah, following verification that they complied with the required conditions.

The announcement was made during a meeting of the Committee, chaired by HE Dr. Mansour bin Nassar, Chairman of the Higher Committee for SCC Elections, and attended by other Committee members.

The Higher Committee for SCC Elections extended congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on the completion of the registration of candidates within the set timetable, under the directives and follow-up of His Highness.

The Committee thanked everyone who upon the call of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, applied for candidacy, driven by their awareness of the need to participate in the decision-making process.

HE Dr Mansour bin Nassar praised the participation of Sharjah’s sons and daughters in the registration process, whether through voting or nomination, out of their keenness to exercise their national right and duty. He lauded the efforts of the Emirate’s various government entities to facilitate the election process and support the Higher Committee’s endeavours to continue the success of the electoral experience in the Emirate of Sharjah.

Dr bin Nassar indicated that the approval of the preliminary list of candidates came after thorough examination of the applications from the Emirate’s nine constituencies to verify their conformity with the conditions set by the decrees establishing the Sharjah Consultative Council and regulating its elections.

List of candidates

The Higher Committee for the SCC Elections clarified that the preliminary list included candidates from the nine constituencies in Sharjah as follows:

Sharjah City: 69 candidates

Al Dhaid: 13 candidates

Mleiha: 9 candidates

Al Bataeh: 6 candidates

Khorfakkan: 36 candidates

Kalba: 21 candidates

Al Madam: 12 candidates

Dibba Al Hisn: 17 candidates

Al Hamriya: 6 candidates

Women Power to the Fore

The preliminary list shows that Sharjah City witnessed the registration of the largest number of women candidates with 18 women joining the fray for SCC elections. Kalba accounted for 8 women candidates, Khorfakkan 7, Dibba Al Hisn 6, Al Hamriyah 2 and Al Bataeh and Al Madam one each.

Diverse Age Groups

As far as the age group of candidates is concerned, Sharjah City represents 13 candidates below the age of 40 years and 54 candidates between the ages of 40 and 60 years while 2 candidates are above 60 years of age. 

Al Dhaid has 2 candidates under the age of 40 and 8 candidates between ages of 40 and 60 years while 3 candidates are above 60 years of age.  The East Coast city of Khorfakkan boasts 10 candidates below the age of 40 and 24 between the age of 40 and 60 while 2 are found to be above 60 years of age.

Kalba accounts for 5 candidates below the age of 40 and 15 under 60 years of age and 1 above 60. 

Dibba Al Hisn accounts for 4 candidates under the age of 40 and 11 below 60 years of age whereas 2 are found to be above 60 years of age.

Al Hamriya features 2 candidates below the age of 40 whereas 4 are found to be between the ages of 40 and 60 years. 

Al Bataeh has only one candidate under 40 years of age while 5 are in the age group of 40 and 60 years.  Maleiha represents 6 candidates under the age of 40 whereas 3 are in the age group of 40 and 60 years. Al Madam accounts for 4 candidates under 40 while 8 candidates fall in the group of 40 and 60 years of age.

Appeals

The Higher Committee for the SCC Elections announced that from tomorrow, Monday, October 28, the Committee will start accepting appeals against registered candidates, if any, for two days. The final list of candidates after the appeal period is to be announced on October 31, 2019. 

The Committee for Appeals is headed by Justice Dr Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi and includes two experienced and competent members namely, Judge Mohammed Hassan Al Marzouqi and Judge Salama Rashid Al Ketbi. The Committee shall examine all appeals and shall submit its reports in accordance with the legal opinion to the Higher Committee.

Each member of the Electoral College has the right to challenge the candidacy of a candidate, in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 54 of Emiri Decree No. 59 of 2015, on the organisation of the Sharjah Consultative Council elections.

The conditions of appeal are based on admissible grounds. Appeals may be submitted to the Committee from 28-29 October 2019, to be examined by the Appeals Committee.

According to the conditions, the applicant shall deposit an amount of Dh 3000 dirhams as a guarantee with the Higher Committee.