Increase in number of Iran council polls candidates

The head of the Interior Ministry's State Elections Committee, Ali Asghar Ahmadi, told reporters on Monday that a total of 287,425 people had signed up for the upcoming elections at the end of the registration process, 14 percent more than the figure four years ago.

He added that the registration process for the City and Village Council Elections started on March 20 and ended on Sunday.

He said 54,888 people registered for the city council elections and 232,537 others submitted their candidacies for the village polls.

He added that a total number of 17,885 women and 269,540 men put their name down for the polls.
Ahmadi said vetting committees would examine the qualification of the hopefuls on April 14-20 and announce the final results a day later.

He noted that the disqualified hopefuls would have four days to lodge a protest.
The official said the seven-day electoral campaign is scheduled to begin on May 11.

Iran will simultaneously hold the 12th presidential election and the 5th City and Village Council Elections on May 19.

Ahmadi further said the council polls would be held in 1,244 cities and 6,756 principal members and 2,754 alternate members would be elected.

He added that some 126,000 principal members and 42,700 alternate members would also be elected in the village elections.

Meanwhile, the deputy governor of Tehran Province for political and social affairs, Shahabeddin Chavoshi, told IRNA on Monday that 10,416 people, including 1,337 women and 9,079 men, had registered for the City and Village Council Elections in the province.

He added that 6,075 people had registered for the city council elections and 4,341 others had signed up for the village polls in Tehran Province.

/SR