NEC rejects appeals, confirms FNC winners

The decision was taken during an NEC meeting here on Wednesday, which was chaired by Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and FNC Affairs and Chairman of the NEC. The meeting was held at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi.

The appeal committee was formed under the chairmanship of Dr Hadef Jauan Al Dhaheri, Minister of Justice.

Gargash said the recent FNC elections was a positive experience to the UAE, stressing the committee would compile a detailed report to document the experience, which would be a future reference.

The NEC adopted the final list after consideration of the appeals filed by other candidates. The NEC has handed over the responsibility to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs to urge Rulers of the Emirates to nominate the other 20 members for the FNC in the coming stages.

Dr Gargash said that there is no space for challenging the voting process and the electronic counting of votes.

“It can be challenged if there is a strong reason supported by strong documents.”

Challenging the counting of votes must be based on valid proof and not should be based on the rumours and suspicions, which stand nowhere and the NEC did not find any solid reason against elected candidates for the FNC, Dr Gargash said.

The committee looked into the recommendations of the Appeals Committee, which submitted a report of 27 appeals. The committee also decided to accept all appeals in terms of form and its refusal in terms of subject, in accordance with Article 59 of Executive Elections Guidelines. In formation of the Appeals Committee, the legal, organisational and technical aspects were taken into account, so that the Committee has full knowledge of all aspects of the electoral process.

No solid proof

Printing ballot receipts without names, briefing voters outside the polling stations to vote for a specific candidate and not allowing a voter to vote without the ID card were some of the reasons given in appeals, but the NEC did not find any constitutional or legal basis for them.

The committee found that there was nothing to prevent the voter from casting his vote freely. All steps were put in place to ensure that voters cast their vote properly.

Dr Gargash said that all appeals, which the committee studied were related to organisational matters and did not have any effect on the process of ballot counting and the results. This led the NEC to refuse all appeals as every appeal was looked into and studied for all legal, technical and organisational aspects, he said.

The FNC members

Following the refusal of the proposed appeals as per the decision of the NEC, the following are the members of FNC 2011 from the various emirates

Abu Dhabi: Salem Mohammad Hamad Al Ameri; Mohammad Musallam Salem Al Ameri; Mohammad Butti Salem Mousa Al Qubaisi; Ahmad Mohammad Suhail Al Ameri.

Dubai: Hamad Ahmed Al Rahoumi; Marwan Ahmed bin Ghulaita; Ahmad Abdullah Mohammed Al Ahli; Rashad Mohammad Bukhash.

Sharjah: Salem Mohammad Ali Saeed Howayden; Ahmad Mohammad Rashid Al Jarwan; Musabbah Saeed Ali Hareb Al Ketbi,

Ajman: Sultan Juma Ali Al Shamsi; Abdullah Hamad Rashid Al Shamsi,

Ras Al Khaimah: Ahmed Abdullah Ali Al Amash; Saeed Nasser Mohammed Obaid Al Khateri; Faisal Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah Al Tunaija.

Umm Al Quwain: Shaikha Isa Ghanem Isa Al Ari; Obeid Hassan Humaid Khalfan Rakad.

Fujairah: Ghareeb Ahmad Ghareeb Huwaishal Al Suraidi; Sultan Saif Sultan Saeed Al Yamahi.

anwar@khaleejtimes.com