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Thousands defy threats and flock to the pollsSep 25, 2011 (Gulf Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- ELECTION chiefs have thanked voters who braved threats and intimidation to cast their ballots yesterday, revealing there had been complaints of some being threatened after being pictured on television at polling centres. Authorities had to call a halt to live TV broadcasts from polling stations following reports of voters receiving threatening phone calls and messages on social networking sites. Officials did not disclose how many of the 187,000 eligible voters took part, but admitted turnout was down in the 14 constituencies yesterday compared to national elections last October. As a result, the total turnout of 67 per cent recorded in last year's parliamentary elections has dropped to 51pc -- a figure reached by calculating the total number of voters in all 40 constituencies, even those where no voting took place yesterday. "Since it's by-elections, we can't just calculate the percentage for just the 18 seats contested and we have to give the total electoral figure with voting in the 22 other constituencies (last October) taken into account," Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister and High Elections Committee chairman Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa told a Press conference at the elections media centre in Isa Cultural Centre, Juffair, last night. He said the 51pc figure was still good, taking into account the boycott by opposition groups and reports of people trying to disrupt the voting process. The minister put the total voting population for all 40 constituencies at around 324,000. "We are very happy with the awareness of the public in practising their democratic right to vote and today's parliamentary demography, which was started last year, reflects that with more independents being elected rather than those following political societies," he said. "Unfortunately, there were 22 individuals creating disturbances and preventing people from voting who have been arrested, while others were mocking the elections through social media, describing polling centres as 'ghost houses' and 'empty as the elections', but this didn't deter people from participating. "Those opposing reform have to understand that it doesn't stop and if they think that they can hinder it, then it is they who need reform." Shaikh Khalid reiterated that no action would be taken against people who didn't vote. "In other countries those who don't participate get penalised, but here in Bahrain we don't accept anyone being threatened to vote because it is a right to take part as it is not to," he said in response to claims that the government would penalise those without election stamps on their passports. Committee member Judge Khalid Ajjaj said some voters later complained that they had been threatened after they were caught on camera at polling centres -- forcing authorities to halt live television broadcasts. "There were problems affiliated with voting as those who appeared on television were threatened and insulted through the phone and social media and we had to stop live feeds," he said. "Others closed down routes to polling centres and even poured oil on the streets to have voters lose control and get into an incident and this was witnessed at Northern Governorate Constituency nine (which includes Demistan, Malkiya, Karzakan, Sharakan, Hamala and Saddad), Central Governorate Constituency five (which includes Nuwaidrat and Ma'ameer) and Capital Governorate Constituency four (which includes Sanabis, Karbabad and Seef). "There were also vandal and sabotage acts that saw cars of voters damaged." Elections executive director and Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission director Abdulla Al Buainain said that due to pressure on some polling centres and difficulties reaching others, voters were directed to general polling centres. "The voting system went smoothly and in an easy manner as we have trained and qualified staff capable of handling each procedure in the best way possible," he said. [email protected] ___ (c)2011 the Gulf Daily News (Manama, Bahrain) Visit the Gulf Daily News (Manama, Bahrain) at www.gulf-daily-news.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |