KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait 

Kuwaiti voters began to cast ballots on Thursday in the Gulf country’s parliamentary elections.

Polling stations opened at 08:00 a.m. local time (0600GMT) and will close at 08:00 p.m. (1800GMT).

Some 795,911 voters are eligible to cast vote in Thursday’s polls to elect members of a new 50-seat National Assembly, according to the electoral commission.

A total of 305 candidates are vying for seats in Parliament in Thursday’s elections.

Last month, Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who has taken on most of the ruling emir's duties, dissolved the National Assembly citing a political standoff between the government and the legislature.

The National Assembly is the Gulf state’s legislative authority and is mandated to observe the work of the executive authority and issue laws, which come into effect after being ratified by the country's ruler.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report