Omanis vote in Shura council elections

Omanis have decided the 86 members of the sultanate's Shura council, with big crowds reported at some stations during Sunday's voting.

Members of the Shura council, the lower house of the Council of Oman, was established in 1991 following a royal decree from Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 2001 and serves as an advisory body to the ruler. 

Its mandate was extended in 2011, giving the Shura council to powers to propose and revise laws and call in ministers for questioning.

— Oman Observer (@OmanObserver) October 28, 2019" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post Oman Observer congratulates all the winners of Majlis Ash'shura 9th term #OmanObserver #Oman #ElectionResults2019 #صوتي_لعُمان #تمديد_فترة_التصويت #انتخابات_مجلس_الشورى pic.twitter.com/6uNHiGocuZ — Oman Observer (@OmanObserver) October 28, 2019

On Sunday, 110 voting centres across the sultanate were opened for elections, which take place every four years.

Opening hours at some voting stations were extended due to crowds, local media reported.

Around 714,000 Omanis decided on the Shura council members from 737 candidates, including 40 women. Two women were elected by voters, Tahira al Lawatiya and Fadhila Abdullah Suleiman al Ruaili, up from one in 2015, according to the interior ministry.

The elected Shura council serves as the lower house of the Council of Oman legislative body, while members of the upper house - the State Council - are selected by the sultan.