(MENAFN- Arab News) RIYADH: The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs denied recent rumors that women will have the right to vote only for female candidates and won't be allowed to caste votes for male candidates in the upcoming municipal elections.
Jodeea bin Nahar Al-Qahtani spokesman of the Committee for Municipal Elections said: 'Voters have the right to vote for candidates of either gender but every citizen has the right to vote only once and cannot cast a vote in another electoral location in another city or region.'
He said the new municipal council regulations confirm that men and women have equal rights. Further he explained that all voters must refrain from following rumors about procedures and refer only to the accurate information sources put out by the committee.
He also encouraged all citizens to read the new regulations as they clarify all procedures related to the elections.
The Committee for Municipal Elections at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs had set the 7th of Dhul Qadah as a registration deadline for voters seeking to cast votes in the municipal council elections.
Saudi women will participate for the first time as voters and candidates since the adoption of the new system for municipal councils following the decision of late King Abdullah to enhance female participation in municipal elections.
The new municipal council regulations include extensive and radical amendments including prohibiting the adoption of a budget of any municipality in the Kingdom prior to approval by the municipal councils.
They also give wide executive powers to councils such as the adoption of plans and programs for municipal projects approved in the budget adoption of municipality budgets as well as overseeing implementation of operation and maintenance projects and monitoring the performance of municipalities and their services.