RIYADH, Sept 11: The first round of landmark municipal elections in Saudi Arabia will not take place before Feb 10, 2005, according to a timetable released Saturday by the ministry of municipal and rural affairs.

The first nationwide polls to elect half the members of 178 municipal councils had been expected to start in November and to be held in three stages into early 2005, according to an earlier announcement.

The new timetable shows however that only the registration of voters in Riyadh will take place in November while polling day will be Feb 10.

"The registration of voters (in the Riyadh region) will start on November 23. Candidates can register between December 26 and 30," said a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

"Voting (in Riyadh) will be on Thursday, Feb 10," the statement added.-AFP