The Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa said that 51.5 per cent of Bahrain's electorate turned out to vote in the parliamentary and municipal elections on Saturday.
The minister added that 53.7pc cast their ballots in the municipal elections, attributing the difference to the composition of the electorates.
Municipal elections were held only in three governorates only, unlike the parliamentary elections that were in four governorates. Foreigners who own property in Bahrain have the right to elect their municipal councilors, but they cannot elect MPs to the Council of Representatives.
"In parliamentary elections, only Bahrainis are allowed to vote, while in the municipal polls we have foreigners with property voting besides Bahrainis," he said.
The minister said that the huge response from the voters to cast their ballots necessitated the prolongation, for the first time in 12 years, of the time by two hours to allow as many as possible to take part.
Polling stations were scheduled to open at 8 am and close at 8 pm, but they were eventually closed at 10 pm to accommodate voters.
"This shows that the boycott has only affected the elections by 16 per cent, if we take 2010's percentage as a reference," the minister, who is also the High Elections Committee chairman, said at a press conference, in the presence of the Minister of State for Information Affairs and the Government's Official Spokesperson Sameera Ebrahim bin Rajab.
The Executive Director of the Elections Abdulla Al-Buainain was also present at the conference attended by local, regional and international media at the Elections Media Centre.
Shaikh Khalid said that the calls not to go to polling stations failed as those who have been threatened not to vote availed of assistance to cast their ballots.
"We did not scare anyone or force them to vote, they went to the polling stations themselves - it was others who prevented people from practising their rights."
Shaikh Khalid said the success of the elections on Saturday was self-evident and would herald a new era for the parliament.
"Parliament represents the people and it will be able now - and for the first time thanks to amendments to the constitution, to reject or accept the government's four-year plans," he said.
"Those calling for a boycott are now out of parliament and have lost their compass and we are beyond that. Democracy opens a new chapter in every aspect."
The minister added that local observers had been systematic in their efforts to ensure free and fair elections.
"Elections in Bahrain have been a purely Bahraini product since the beginning when they were held for the first time. The presence of respectable court judges at every phase of the electoral process is a great guarantee. We do not need anyone from abroad to supervise us," he said.
"Bahrain is stable and is not witnessing turmoil and the turnout percentage we have recorded today reflects that."
Eligible Bahraini men and women had 40 polling stations, one in each constituency, and 13 general polling stations where they could cast their ballots regardless of their constituency.
Bahrain held parliamentary and municipal elections in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014.
Source: BNA