Jordan Times
Monday, November 19, 2007
Citizens urged to exercise
their constitutional rights
By Hani Hazaimeh
AMMAN - The government hopes that all citizens will exercise their national duty
by casting their votes on election day to form a Parliament capable of
partnering with the government to face the Kingdom’s challenges, Government
Spokesperson Nasser Judeh said on Sunday.
“The various government institutions have completed the necessary arrangements
to ensure free and fair parliamentary elections,” Judeh said, noting that with
Saturday’s withdrawal deadline, the number of candidates now stands at 885,
including 199 women.
“Certain security measures accompany every election conducted anywhere in the
world, but this does not mean that the government has any security fears or
threats,” he said, adding that it is part of the government’s duty to ensure
citizens’ safety.
It is not acceptable to launch accusations against the government’s procedures
in an attempt to influence voters or tarnish the election, Judeh told reporters
at his weekly press briefing adding that complaints related to the polls should
go through legal channels before, during or after the election.
In response to a question, the government spokesperson said by law the
government is the only party that has the right to supervise the election
process, and puts forward the required measures to ensure a free and fair
election.
Judeh also said that the government will not authorise the use of indelible ink
to avoid multiple voting, after it was proven that it can be erased. He added
that the government endorsed several measures to avoid any vote tampering,
including an electronic network.
“The electronic network is a parallel, not alternative, procedure to verify the
identity of voters,” the spokesperson said, adding that this was to ensure the
same person could not vote twice.
Judeh said in case of any network failure, the committee will resort to cell
phones distributed by the ministry, which include names and national numbers of
voters.
He also referred to Article 20 of the Elections Law, which stipulates that
illiterates must whisper the name of their candidate in the ears of a committee
member, who, in turn, writes the name of the candidate on the election form.
Under articles 20 and 47 of the 2007 Elections Law, whoever claims illiteracy
and is discovered to be otherwise, will be subject to fines ranging between
JD200 and JD500, and/or three months to one year imprisonment.
At the end of the day, it is the voter who decides the outcome of the polls,
regardless of empty slogans or scepticism, and it is his religious and national
duty to cast his vote for the right candidate.
Around 2.45 million citizens on electoral lists are eligible to vote, according
to Interior Ministry figures.
Judeh added that authorities have distributed badges for members of the press
seeking to cover the elections, noting that media personnel are welcome to join
the Jordan Information Centre’s tours, which will cover several polling centres
in the Kingdom.