Oman to hold elections on October 15

More than 1,000 candidates, among them 77 women, will compete in Oman's consultative council elections to be held on October 15, the sultanate's deputy interior minister told reporters Sunday. Mohammed al-Bousaidi urged all eligible voters to confirm their registration before Wednesday to participate in the polls in which 1,133 candidates will compete for seats in the council for the term that ends in 2015.
Rights groups will not be invited to monitor the elections which will be covered by local and international media as well as civil society organisations, he said.