Friday 26 / April / 2024
MUSCAT: Omani voters residing within the Sultanate of Oman are poised to exercise their voting rights on Sunday, selecting their representatives for the Shura Council's tenth term. This crucial process is made seamless through the "Intekhab" application, available from 8 am to 7 pm.
The final voter lists for the tenth term of the Shura Council reveal an impressive count of 753,690 registered male and female voters, all utilising the "Intekhab" application and the dedicated elections website (elections.om). Notably, 13,843 voters have cast their ballots from locations outside the Sultanate of Oman.
A total of 843 candidates, including 32 women, are in fray for the tenth term of the Shura Council aligning with the future plans, visions, and directions of the Sultanate of Oman. This term holds national significance, as it will further activate and implement the goals of "Oman Vision 2040" across economic, investment, and developmental spheres, in addition to the objectives of the tenth five-year plan and the roadmap for the eleventh five-year plan.
This electoral event for the tenth term marks a momentous occasion with the launch of the second version of the "Intekhab" application, introducing innovative features and enhancements. These encompass an audio reading capability to aid those with visual disabilities, as well as an optional sign language feature to accommodate individuals with hearing and speech impairments.
The application offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, coupled with robust security measures incorporating state-of-the-art encryption technologies. Voter identity verification is a meticulous three-step process, involving the capture of the original ID card images from both sides, reading personal card data through the NFC feature, and taking a personal photograph of the voter.
Furthermore, the application empowers voters to engage with electoral propaganda regulations. It enables them to peruse the list of candidates, track their campaign activities, and interact with them directly from the electoral headquarters.
The Ministry of Interior has left no stone unturned in ensuring comprehensive readiness across administrative, technical, legal, and media aspects of the electoral process. They have meticulously developed plans and strategies in close coordination with various relevant authorities, guaranteeing a smooth and efficient electoral process.
In their communication with citizens, the Ministry underscores the significance of participating in the electoral process. They emphasise the simplified procedures and the availability of over 12 electronic electoral services, including the dialogue arena, access to preliminary and final candidate lists, preliminary and final voter lists, verification of registration in the electoral registry, and real-time monitoring of automated counting indicators on voting day.
The application also provides invaluable statistical data, presenting the percentage of voting in each region, demographic profiles of voters, and an avenue to submit suggestions and reports.
The Ministry of Interior is committed to complete transparency, broadcasting real-time data and statistics on voting day, underscoring the accuracy and transparency of the electoral process, following its comprehensive digital transformation.
The Ministry's dedicated efforts to digitise all services and programmes align with their digital transformation plans. They aspire to harness advanced technologies, including the latest developments in artificial intelligence, to enhance services for citizens, candidates, and voters alike.
The current electoral process for the tenth term of the Shura Council witnesses active participation from both candidates and voters, reflecting society's profound interest and maturity in selecting their representatives for the upcoming term.
In the Muscat Governorate, there are 97,918 male and female voters registered in the electoral registry, comprising 51,208 male voters and 46,710 female voters. Moreover, 93 male and female candidates are competing for Shura Council membership in the Wilayat of Muscat Governorate for the tenth term, including 12 female candidates.
The Wilayat of Muscat has 10,257 male and female voters in the electoral registry, with 5,025 male voters and 5,232 female voters. The Wilayat of Muttrah has 14,035 registered voters, while the Wilayat of Seeb has 30,837 male and female voters. In the Wilayat of Bawshar, there are 13,023 male and female voters, and in the Wilayat of Al Amerat, 12,049 male and female voters are registered. The Wilayat of Quriyat has 17,717 male and female voters listed in its electoral registry.
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