Poll papers from today

Officials expect fewer municipal nominationsNaila BarakatStaff ReporterThe candidates for the municipal council elections will file their nominations from today. The process concludes at five registration centres on October 24.Sources told the Bahrain Tribune yesterday that this time around, the nominations would be fewer than those submitted for the parliamentary elections because of fewer privileges for councillors and their limited powers.The municipal elections will be held along with the parliamentary polls on November 25. The five municipal councils have 40 seats.The director of elections and referendum, Shaikha Munira bint Abdulla Al Khalifa, told the Tribune, “We will be able to know the total number of contestants only after the registration concludes. “We will also be able to know how many sitting councillors are seeking re-election.” In the presence of presiding officers, the five centres will receive papers between 8pm and 11pm during Ramadan and from 6pm to 11pm after Ramadan. The five centres in as many governorates are Hoora Girls Secondary School (Capital Governorate), Al Hidaya Boys Secondary School (Muharraq), Shaikh Mohammed Buali Al Khalifa Primary School (Northern), Umm Kulthoom Girls Intermediate School (Central) and West Riffa Girls Secondary School in the Southern Governorate.Al Menber Islamic Society and Al Wefaq Political Society, among others, have released the list of candidates.The outgoing municipal councils have contributed immensely to various sector in their four-year term. The achievements include measures to protect the environment and heritage sites, zoning of areas, strengthening building laws, setting up rehabilitation areas and gardens in the neighbourhood.One of the major achievements of the councils was the protection of the Tubli Bay and the Mameer Seashore.The Central and Manama councils coordinated with the authorities on a BD6 million rehabilitation programme for the Tubli Bay and the Mameer coast for which the first phase involving BD 1.4 million has been launched.The councils also monitored small businesses especially in the Central and Capital governorates and set regulations for them. The councils have also contributed to the national project, initiated by the His Majesty the King, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to rehabilitate and reconstruct old houses of the needy families.