Uzbek voters head to polls for parliamentary election

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Voters in Uzbekistan began casting their ballots on Sunday to elect the country's 150-member lower house of the Oliy Majlis, or parliament.

A total of 11,028 polling stations opened as of 8 am local time (0300GMT) across the country while 57 polling stations enabled voting in Uzbekistan's diplomatic missions in 40 countries, Zayniddin Nizamkhodjaev, the head of the country's Central Election Commission, told a briefing.

Nizamkhodjaev said voting initially began at polling stations set up by Uzbek missions in Asia – in Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and India.

Nearly 20 million voters in the country are eligible to cast their ballots, in addition to over 165,600 Uzbeks living abroad, he said.

The voting will take place based on a mixed electoral system for the first time since its introduction last year, meaning 75 members of the chamber will be elected by voting directly for political parties.

The remaining 75 seats will be elected using the proportional representation electoral system from party lists.

Five political parties, including the Liberal Democratic Party led by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, are competing in the race.

"For the first time in our history, five political parties have nominated 100 percent of candidates for deputies at all levels," he said, adding that more than 800 foreign and international observers are monitoring the election.

Voting is set to continue until 8 pm local time (1500GMT).