KUWAIT CITY, Aug 9: Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah during a press conference Thursday announced the Cabinet has decided to refer the issue of the election constituencies to the Constitutional Court.

“The issue will be submitted to the court within a week and elections will be held after the court issues its verdict,” he said.

Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabah added constitutional experts and government consultants were unanimous in their opinion on the unconstitutionality of the current bill of electoral constituencies. Therefore, the future legislative authority could be appealed against and face dissolution.

The Legal and Legislative Department of the State was assigned to file the appeal with the court to
redefine the electoral districts for National Assembly elections.

“The government is taking the initiative to spare the country any legal chaos or political fatigue that could lead to a legislative vacuum. Researchers and legal experts unanimously agreed to resort to the Constitutional Court,” he stated.

The minister stressed the government is keen to put on top the country’s interest because it is the only authority legally capable of submitting this request to the Constitutional Court. He said “resorting to the court will safeguard democracy and the legislative authority and is in respect to the nation’s approach.”
“We refer to the judiciary when there are legal and constitutional differences, in support of the state institutions and law. The government does not intend to delay in submitting its appeal to the Constitutional Court,” he said.

“The (coming) days will prove the government’s good intentions of resorting to the court and the sincerity of the arrangements it made in that regard,” added Sheikh Mohammed.

Opposition activists and lawmakers have repeatedly warned of their intention to protest at the Al-Erada Square if the executive authority resorts to the Constitutional Court or issues emergency decrees. The opposition believes that the move is a ploy to keep the 2009 Assembly.

Youth opposition bloc ‘Nahaj’ warned that the slogan of the upcoming protest will be ‘Jaber Leave’ instead of ‘Nasser Leave’ in reference to HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. Opposition MPs warned that the stake against the government will increase.

The Information Minister further added that “the government will maintain its security measures but believes in freedom of opinion and expression as long as it is within the legal framework.” He said the government will not prevent peaceful gatherings.

Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabah assured that the move will safeguard the upcoming legislative authority from dissolution. He added most experts are of the opinion that ‘four votes per voter’ is also unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, Nahaj has announced that the decision to stage street protest has been taken but did not specify a date.

In a related issue, former MP Nabil Al-Fadhel attacked members of the opposition and Nahaj group after their latest threat to resort to the protests at Erada Square and raise the slogan ‘Jaber Leave’ if the electoral districts law is referred to the Constitutional Court.

Nonetheless, in a press statement Al-Nahaj explained the problem lies neither in the former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad nor in the current Premier Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak “but the problem lies in the mercenaries among you who work for foreign agendas and seek to destabilize Kuwait.”

He added “Those who read your election program which you announced earlier and what you have accomplished, will know your false promises and meager capabilities.”

Earlier, Al-Fadhel had ridiculed and downplayed the figures mentioned by the opposition bloc — the number of people who had signed the petition rejecting any amendment to the electoral districts.
The opposition said as of now they had got more than 20,000 signatures via electronic media and that they would soon reach their target of 120,000 signatures.

Al-Fadhel noted during the election of Speaker for the 2012 National Assembly opposition leader Ahmed Al-Saadoun and his entourage had opposed electronic voting on the pretext there was a possibility of forgery.

He added “Today, they are collecting signatures electronically (website) for their shabby petition and they want us to believe the numbers given by MP Musallam Al-Barrak. How long will they continue ‘laughing’ at their supporters?”

He advised the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak not to compromise with the opposition and give its members the opportunity to engage in the affairs of the ruling family.