(Image source from: })

Out of 181 candidates, twenty-one Indian-origin Singaporeans have nominated to contest in the snap general elections the coming week. The September 11 elections will test the ruling party's i.e. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's 50 years of political dominance by the voters.

Prominent candidates of Indian-origin who filed nominations for the coming elections include K Shanmugam, law and foreign minister, S Iswaran, minister in the prime minister office, and Vivian Balakrishnan, environment and water resources minster.

Sri Lankan-origin candidates who filed nominations are Tharman Shanmugaratnam, deputy prime minister and finance minister and Kenneth Jeyaretnam, an economist-turned-politician.

The way for the snap polls was cleared by the President Tony Tan Keng Yam on August 25, when he dissolved the 12th Parliament taking the Prime Minister’s advice. President had to hold an election until January 2017.

Ruling for over 50 years, the People's Action Party (PAP), is mostly expected to hold its majority in the parliament with 89 seats. In the elections, 89 parliamentarians will be elected from thirteen Single Member constituencies and 16 GRCs.

In the elections coming amid 50 years of independence celebration, it is estimated that 2.46million are likely to cast their vote. It is considered as the biggest election as all 89 members are to be elected from all through the prosperous city state, since independence.

-Sumana