Lebanon vows neutrality during legislative elections: official

BEIRUT, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities Nouhad Machnouk affirmed Wednesday the ministry's outright neutrality in the upcoming legislative elections, reminding candidates and voters of their prime responsibility to adhere to the law.

"We stand at a neutral distance from all sides, especially that we represent the Lebanese state," Machnouk said, quoted by the National News Agency (NNA) following a meeting of the security council in the Bekaa town of Zahle.

"Our prime responsibility is to practice self-observance, and to allow the electoral deadline to pass as smoothly as municipal elections had passed," he added.

Machnouk also explained that the process of electronic calculation of votes, which would be used for the first time, would help in the swift issuance of election results.

The minister stressed that "clear instructions had been given to officers and officials to deal with bribes as an offense and preventive measures will be taken to tackle this matter."

"The issuance of identity cards in replacement of lost ones stopped ten days ago," Machnouk added.

He also said voters are not allowed to take phones into polling stations.

Lebanon will hold its legislative elections on May 6, the first one since 2009, in which candidates will compete for 128 seats in the parliament. Enditem