16 approved to contest in Burkina Faso's presidential poll

Burkina Faso's Constitutional Council has approved a provisional list of 16 names out of 22 to contest for the country's presidential poll scheduled to take place on Oct. 11, 2015, a judicial source said on Sunday.

Out of the 16, there are two women. This is the first time that women have been approved to contest for Burkina Faso's presidency.

The candidature of six people, who included two confidants of former president Blaise Compaore, was rejected. They include Eddie Komboigo of the former ruling party, Congress for Democracy and Progress and Gilbert Noel Ouedraogo of the Alliance for Democracy and Federation/African Democratic Rally.

Others whose candidature was rejected were independent candidates who did not manage to pay the security fee of 41,000 U.S. dollars or did not submit all the required documents.

Any disputes regarding the provisional list will be handled by the Constitutional Council until Sept. 6, the statement said.

The Constitutional Council had earlier rejected the candidature of Compaore's confidants who were contesting for legislative elections over what it termed as "active" support for last year's proposed constitutional changes meant to extend the former president's 27 year rule.

Source: XINHUA