NEC announce locations of voting centres

Voting will be held on December 16 in Abu Dhabi at the Al Jazeera Club and in Fujairah at the Applied Technology College. Electoral College members can cast their vote on December 18 in Dubai at the Sheikh Rashid Hall at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre and in Ras Al Khaimah at the RAK Cultural Centre. On December 20, voters can exercise their franchise in Sharjah at Sharjah Expo, in Ajman at Zayed Hall and in Umm Al Quwain at the Alf Laili Wlaila Hall.

Tariq Hilal Lootah, Secretary-General of FNC Affairs Ministry, Member of the NEC and Head of the Election Management Committee (EMC), said: "The elections are the right step towards empowering the FNC. The enthusiastic participation by the Electoral College members is a positive indicator of their sense of responsibility towards the nation and indicates their readiness to ensure the success of the first elections in the UAE."

He added: "The election committees in all the emirates are taking appropriate steps to equip the voting centers adequately to ensure the success of the election process. Experienced personnel will supervise the election process, and voters can cast their votes in total privacy."

Members of the Electoral College (EC) will elect half of the FNC members from each emirate as laid out in the UAE constitution. The rulers of each emirate will assign the rest of the members. In all, the FNC will have 40 members. The Electoral College members will elect four members each from Abu Dhabi and Dubai; three each from Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah; and two each from Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah.

Established by a Presidential decree in December 2005, the National Elections Committee has been assigned to supervise the elections.