MANAMA, Bahrain: Bahrain's highest Shia authority called "all believers to participate in the upcoming municipal and parliamentary elections", and according to a report on Tuesday Bahraini ruler King Hamad has reassured the spiritual leadership of the Gulf state’s Shia majority that there will be no attempt to rig next month’s polls.

"Despite all political and security crises and tensions and in spite of all the disappointments, the Islamic Scholars Council believes that participation in the elections is the best option to confront the reality on the ground with all its complexities. Participation is also the best option to tackle strife and exclusion schemes," the council said in a statement.

Renowned cleric Sheikh Issa Qassem heads the council.

"It is certain that non-involvement in the political process despite all its shortcomings and impediments will further exclude and marginalize us, will impose on us more unjust and unfair laws and will target us in suspicious plots," the statement said in reference to the anti-terrorism law passed by the outgoing parliament and a report that alleged the existence of a secret network to diminish the power and influence of Shias in Bahrain.

"Based on these premises and in accordance with an objective assessment of the situation, the Islamic Scholars Council calls for massive participation of all believers, men and women, in the upcoming municipal and parliamentary elections," the statement said.

The Council had sought Sunday’s meeting with the king following charges by the Briton Salah al-Bandar, since expelled as an alleged spy last month, that a clique within the government was plotting to maintain the minority sect’s domination of the archipelago, the Al-Wasat daily said.

“The clergy are looking for practical, concrete measures. We told the king that we will not tolerate discrimination whether against Sunnis or against Shias,” Qassem said.

Bandar said he had uncovered a secret organization operating within the Sunni-led government to “deprive an essential part of the population of this country of their rights.