ammonnews.net

Ammon News - AMMAN (Petra) More than 2.27 million Jordanians head to the polls on Wednesday to choose the Kingdom's 17th parliament in elections that will be monitored by over 7,000 local and foreign observers.

For the first time in the Kingdom's history, the polls, in which 1,425 candidates are vying for seats in the new 150-member House of Deputies, will be overseen by the Independent Elections Commission IEC which was established for this purpose.

The IEC will supervise and administer the elections throughout its various stages, while the executive authority's role will be confined to logistical and security support to ensure a smooth polling, according to the government.

The polls will take place under the scrutiny of up to 7,020 members of international observer missions, embassies and independent international, Arab and local organisations amid government assurances that they will be totally fair and free of intervention.

Voters will be casting ballots in 4,069 ballot boxes at 45 polling centres nationwide.

Up to 606 candidates, including 105 women, are running in the 45 local constituencies and 819 representing 61 blocs, including 86 women, are competing in the general (national) list.

According to the IEC, 37,000 staff will be in charge of the polling and vote-counting process in addition to 75 auditors and 4,500 volunteers to help voters.