Emirati nationals thronged the polling stations across Sharjah with their family and friends to cast their ballot at the first-ever Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC) elections.

The first-ever polls to the 42-member Sharjah advisory body opened on Thursday (January 28) amid much fanfare will close tomorrow (January 31) after four days of voting.

The elections to the highest advisory and decision-making body in the emirate are being seen as groundbreaking milestone for Sharjah and the UAE.

The decision to hold the elections came after His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah announced that the SCC would have half of its 42 members directly elected for the upcoming term.

A total of 195 candidates, including 43 women, are in fray for seats spread across the emirate in Kalba, Khorfakkan, Dhaid, Dibba Al Hisn, Bataeh, Maliha, Hamriya, and Madam.

Up to 24,952 people above the age of 21, including 13,794 men and 11,158 women, from across the emirate have registered as voters and are casting their ballots.

The popular response to Sharjah’s nascent political and democratic experiment has been overwhelming with the UAE nationals turning up in large numbers at the polling booths for the last two days.

Many of the nationals, who are casting their ballot  for the first time, were euphoric about the whole experience of voting and electing their representatives, said a top election official.   

Even the Friday sermon in mosques across Sharjah was dedicated to the importance of shoura or the concept of consultation in Islam, he added.
 
Expressing his satisfaction over the successful and smooth polling so far, Mansour Mohammad Nassar, the chairman of the Supreme Committee for SCC Elections, said that no effort is being spared to ensure the transparency and fairness of the polls.

A special control room has been set up at the Sharjah Consultative Council to monitor the electoral process across the Emirate and quickly respond in case there is a technical glitch or disruption, he stated.   

According to him, all arrangements are in place for the counting of votes that commences soon after the polling ends tomorrow evening.

Nassar said under the supervision of the Supreme Election Committee, three polling committees comprising seven members have been constituted to oversee the counting of votes.

A number of dignitaries visited the main polling centre at Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club on Friday to either cast their vote or observe the polling.

Abdullah Bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works was one of the early voters on Friday.

The counting process will be telecast live on various television channels and media outlets of Sharjah Media Corporation.

The live transmission will continue throughout the night until the end of the counting and declaration of results, according to the Election Committee.-TradeArabia News Service