This brings the total number of Senate candidates to 682 since the follow-up committees formed by the NEA started receiving candidacy requests at 27 courts nationwide on Saturday, Ibrahim noted.

The deadline for filing candidacy papers is July 18.

The authority is expected to announce the preliminary list of candidates along with their election symbols in a couple of widely circulated papers on July 19.

Ibrahim urged all parties participating in the election to adhere to all precautionary measures to curb the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The NEA issued a decision on the formation of committees to follow up the election and report any campaigning violations nationwide.

The NEA detailed that such violations include bullying, the use of religious or discrimination symbols or worshipping places in the campaigning and posing threats to the national unity, among others.