RIYADH, Aug 5: Saudi Arabia will hold its first-ever municipal elections in three phases in November after Ramazan holidays. Earlier, the elections were slated to begin in September.

An official said the decision to defer the elections by two months was taken in consultation with a United Nations expert group, which visited the country recently.

The group reviewed election preparations, including its executive bylaws, registration of candidates, voter restrictions, etc. "The UN group met members of election supervising committees, working groups and foreign experts," the agency said.

"The UN team proposed that the elections start from the Riyadh region in November after Ramazan holidays, instead of September and October as previously planned." As per the present plan, public awareness campaigns for the elections will be carried out in September and October.

The elections to pick half the members of 178 municipal councils in the country's 13 regions in three phases. Elections in the Riyadh region will be conducted in the first phase. The second phase, to be conducted before the Haj season, will cover the Eastern Province, as well as the Asir, Baha, Jizan and Najran regions.

The third phase for the regions of Makkah, Madina, Qasim, Al Jouf and Tabuk will be held after the Haj season. "The UN team agreed with mayors of Makkah, Madina and Jeddah to conduct elections in the regions of the third phase after the Haj season as the agencies there would be busy with Haj activities," the UN team agency.