Al-Bireh:The Palestinian Central Elections Commission has initiated the registration process for candidate lists ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for November 28 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

According to Anadolu Agency, the commission began accepting candidacy applications at 8 am local time (0500GMT) at its headquarters in Al-Bireh and its office in Deir al-Balah. The registration will remain open for 12 days, concluding on October 7, amid strong interest from potential candidates.

Candidates for the Legislative Council are required to run through electoral lists, with individual candidacies not being accepted. Each list must contain between 16 and 132 candidates, adhering to legal requirements for female representation. Specifically, there must be at least one woman among the first three names on the list and one woman in every subsequent group of three candidates.

The candidacy applications must be submitted by the list's coordinator and authorized representative, complete with the necessary documents. The commission will review all applications to ensure they meet the legal criteria, emphasizing that submission does not equate to acceptance or approval.

Campaigning is set to begin on November 6, with early voting for security forces scheduled for November 26. President Mahmoud Abbas decreed the election date on July 9, marking the first legislative vote since 2006, following a prolonged period of inactivity and a court-ordered dissolution in 2018. Previously planned elections in 2021 were cancelled due to issues regarding Palestinian participation in East Jerusalem. The upcoming elections will fill 132 seats in what will be the third Palestinian Legislative Council election.