All set for smooth polls, IEC emphasises

AMMAN — The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Sunday said that all arrangements and preparations were in place for a trouble-free election process as Jordanians elect the new Parliament on Tuesday.

A total of 226 lists consisting of 1,252 candidates are competing to win the 130 seats of the Lower House, 252 of whom are women. 

The number of eligible voters for this year is 4,130,000, of whom 52, 8 per cent are women and 50 per cent are below 50.

As IEC President Khaled Kalaldeh inaugurated an election media centre at the Royal Cultural Centre, he remarked that around 80,000 employees will administrate the process in all the Kingdom's 23 constituencies, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

He also announced that the Gendarmerie Department will deploy 50,000 of its personnel to ensure security on the voting day.

The commission’s secretary general, Ali Darabkeh, said that the electoral campaigning’s silence stage starts on Monday at 12.01am.

Speaking at a meeting with international and local observers at the IEC's media centre to outline the commission's preparations, Darabkeh requested all candidates to end their electoral campaigning of all forms and means, including advertisements or publications through visual, print, web-based or radio outlets. He warned of legal action in case of violations, Petra said.

The official also requested candidates and their campaign managers and staff to refrain from direct or indirect campaigning at the polling and vote counting centres.

Meanwhile, at a press conference, IEC Spokesperson Jihad Momani reiterated the agency’s preparedness to run the parliamentary elections, announcing that all materials and equipment, including “sensitive” items like balloting booklets and electoral ink and “non-sensitive” ones, such as the 4,883 ballot boxes, along with stationery, had been delivered to the 1,483 ballot centres around the country.

Momani added that 10,000 volunteers will help election officials.

As for the observers, the number reached 14,000 locals and some 676 international observers, in addition to 1,700 journalists who have registered to cover the polls.

The polling centres will be electronically connected to the commission, and the centres will be provided with alternative energy sources in case of blackouts.

He said that the IEC’s commissioners council will decide on Monday if expired IDs will be used or not, noting that the Civil Status Department will be open until 8pm on Monday and Tuesday, enabling voters to renew their IDs.

Also on Sunday, Petra quoted Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) Chief Commissioner Farouq Hiyari as saying Sunday his agency had addressed electricity companies to raise readiness during the Election Day.

Hiyari said that the commission has declared a high emergency code to deal with any power cut that would delay the electoral process.

The EMRC’s emergency and monitoring centre will be ready to answer complaints on 065805025.

Meanwhile, the Jordan Electricity Company on Sunday prepared an emergency plan to deal with blackouts or malfunctions that would take place during the polls.

The company has designated 28 emergency centres in Amman, Zarqa, Salt and Madaba with 1,200 engineers and technicians on stand-by for any emergencies, it said in a statement.