His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today issued Decree-Law 56 for this year, dividing the kingdom into four governorates, namely the Capital, the Muharraq, the Northern and the Southern ones.
It stipulates that the governorates shall be established, cancelled and named as per Royal Decrees.
The centres of the governorates and their boundaries will be determined as per an Edict by the Prime Minister.
HM King Hamad also issued Decree-Law 57 for this year, amending some provisions of Decree-Law 14 of 2002 on the Exercise of Political Rights.
The Decree-Law states that the electoral register shall include eligible voters who meet the requirements, and who have not been deprived of or exempted from the exercise of their political rights at the registration or lists' revision periods.
It also stipulates that voters should present their passports or any certified official document in order to be able to cast their votes.
HM King Hamad also issued Decree-Law 57, amending some provisions of Decree-Law 3 of 2003 on the election of municipal members.
According to the Law-Decree, each governorate shall have one municipal polling district, comprising a number of electoral constituencies, with one member to be elected for each.
The boundaries of electoral constituencies and the number of the sub-committees will be determined as per an Edict by the Prime Minister.
Eligible voters include those who meet the requirements, and who have not been deprived of or exempted from the exercise of political rights at the registration or lists' revision periods.
The electoral registers shall be displayed in municipalities 45 days before the municipal elections' date.
The Decree-Law also stipulates that the date of the municipal elections shall be announced as per an Edict by the Prime Minister, including necessarily the opening and closure of the nomination period.
The edict shall be published in the Official Gazette at least 45 days before the election day.
Candidates who want to stop running for elections shall notify the Election Commission at least ten days before the election day.
Candidatures shall delegate an eligible voter to represent them at the polling and counting centres.
Voters should present their passports or any certified official document in order to be able to cast their votes.
The Decree-Laws shall be effective a day after their publication in the Official Gazette.