Pending legal cases may dent Kuwait candidates'

More than two thirds of the candidates in Kuwait's parliament elections have legal cases pending against them, a local daily has reported. According to An-Nahar, the justice ministry has submitted a list of 270 candidates who have to settle legal cases before their candidacies to run in the elections scheduled for February 2 are formally accepted. The cabinet will be looking into the cases and will make a decision on the issue, the daily said on Monday. Registration figures indicate that 389 people, including 29 women, have signed up in the bid to reach the 50-seat parliament. Candidates have until January 25 to pull out of the race that promises to be closely contested with former lawmakers seeking to keep their green seats and new faces vying for membership in the powerful constitutional institution. Article continues below Tribal support remains crucial in some of the five constituencies while liberals will have to put up with Islamists from both sects seeking to reinforce their power. Women, motivated by the success of four female candidates in 2009, the year when the last elections were held, are working on garnering support. Their number went up from 19 in 2009 to 29 this year. Around 400,000 Kuwaitis are scheduled to cast their ballots next month.