The statement followed a visit by national NGO monitors to a poll center in Isa Town, Bahrain, on Thursday. The poll center showcases the numerous measures in place to ensure the elections are fair and transparent for the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Parliamentary and Municipal elections on Oct. 23.

“Every measure has been made to make sure the elections are as transparent as possible. And I will ensure the procedures are followed to the very last detail in this governorate, from the moment the polling station opens until the final results are announced,” said Judge Hameed Habeeb, chairman of the Supervisory Committee for the Central Governorate, in which the Isa Town constituency sits.

“We will be using UN-approved transparent ballot boxes for the first time in these elections which serves as an excellent illustration of the probity of the elections, and with over 290 NGO monitors, a nominated agent for every candidate and webcams in the polling stations, we can confidently assert that the elections will be free, fair and transparent,” added Judge Abdulla Al-Buainain, president of legal affairs at the Ministry of Justice, while commenting on the preparations of the polls one week ahead of the elections.

There will be 292 national NGO monitors who will have access to the polling centres to observe voters casting their ballots and the counting process. Each candidate could nominate an agent to represent them in the Elections Supervisory Committee for their constituency; they will have access to the polling station for the candidate’s constituency during the casting of votes and the counting period.

The committee said that webcams would be placed in polling stations and streamed live by weblink to www.vote.bh.

It also added that UN-approved transparent ballot boxes would be used for the first time during these elections.