04 March 2005	Friday	22 Muharram 1426

RIYADH, March 3: The minority Shia community in Saudi Arabia came out in large numbers on Thursday to cast votes in the second phase of local bodies elections covering the eastern and south-western regions of the kingdom.

The follow-up was held in the eastern province producing 90 per cent of the Saudi oil - and the south- western governor ates of Najran, Jizan, Baha and Asir cast their votes.

The strategic eastern province comprises Dammam, Qatif, Al Hassa and Jubail, where most of the kingdom's estimated 1.8 million Shias live. According to senior Saudi journalist Merza Al-Khuwaildi, the voter turnout could touch as high as 90 per cent in some Shia areas of the region.

In some polling stations in Qatif, almost 82-83 per cent of registered voters had cast their votes by 1 pm. Police had to close the gate of one overcrowded polling centre where a large number of men had queued up to cast their ballots in the election that marks the first tentative step towards democracy in Saudi Arabia at the local level.

Women have been barred from voting and it has been indicated that they may get the voting right in the next elections to be held after five years. Brisk polling was also reported from some Sunni-dominated areas of Dammam with a turnout of about 80 per cent.

Polling started at 8 in the morning and continued until five in the evening. Those still inside the polling station were allowed to cast their votes. Shia clerics have been urging voters to cast their "valuable" ballots, citing the Iraqi elections in January as an example of the importance of participation.