MUSCAT, Oct 5: Omani women hoping for a bigger role in politics were left disappointed on Sunday as voters elected yet another male-dominated advisory Shura Council in the Gulf state’s first free election.

Results of Saturday’s election showed voters re-elected the two women who served on the outgoing 83-member council but ignored the 13 new female candidates who ran for office.

“I am extremely disappointed. I thought this was our chance to have more women serving on the council but perhaps we have not lobbied hard enough,” Rahila Al-Riyamy, one of the two women re-elected told Reuters.

The council has no legislative powers and mainly advises the government on economic matters. It has no say on issues relating to defence, security or foreign affairs.

But Omani women turned up in droves at the polling stations, hoping for better representation in the assembly after Oman last year introduced reforms granting voting rights to all citizens aged 21 and above.—Reuters