Aspiring contestants have already started formulating blocs to secure the control of new boards that include the six Tawafa establishments and the Maktab Al-Zamazima (Zamzam Office in Makkah), the Maktab Al-Adilla (Guides Office in Madinah) and the Maktab Al-Wukala Al-Muwahhad (the United Agents' Office in Jeddah).

The six Tawafa establishments are for pilgrims from Arab countries, non-Arab African countries, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Iran, and Turkey and Western countries.

Each board is constituted for a period of four years. The the new electoral regulations provide candidates with at least 15 days to canvass for votes. Hatem Qadi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Haj, will head a committee to supervise elections and ensure they are carried out in a fair and transparent manner.

The new electoral regulations stipulate that candidates should not be less than 30 years of age and have completed intermediate school. They are also required to have completed a minimum of five years continuous service in Haj services or 10 years interrupted service.

Candidates for the Tawafa establishment are also required to be residents of Makkah, while those vying for membership on the board of the Maktab Adilla should be residents of Madinah. Candidates for the Maktab Al-Wukala should be residents of Jeddah.

The candidates should also be of good conduct and not have been convicted by a court of law or punished by the Tawafa Disciplinary Board. Officials from the Ministry of Haj and Central Haj Committee are not eligible to contest in the elections.

The new regulations also stipulate that 75 percent of promises made by candidates or blocs should be fulfilled to stop candidates making empty or unrealistic promises during canvassing.

The minister of Haj also reserves the right to dismiss members or dissolve boards of directors and reconstitute them with members as he sees fit for the rest of the board’s tenure. He can also call for new elections.

With 5,000 members, the Tawafa Establishment for Pilgrims of Arab Countries is the largest, followed by the Tawafa Establishment for South Asian Pilgrims with 4,000 members.

The Tawafa Establishment for Southeast Asian Pilgrims has 3,500 members. The establishments for Turkey and Western countries, and non-Arab African nations have between 1,500 and 2,000 members. There are 300 members in the establishment for Iranian pilgrims. The Maktab Al-Wukala has 820 members, the Al-Zamazima has 949 members and Al-Adilla has 3,032 members.

Meanwhile, Talal Mahboob, head of Field Service Office No. 23, visited the Tawafa Establishment for South Asian Pilgrims to congratulate its chairman Adnan Katib for the excellent services the establishment provided during the last Haj. Mahboob, who is also the chief of Al-Mahboob family, belongs to a long line of mutawwifs, or Haj service providers.