The world community recognizes that the election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan held on October 24 of this year was organized at a high level based on our national legislation and international election standards. In the election process, not only representatives of political parties and responsible state bodies, but also representatives of citizens' self-government bodies, non-governmental non-profit organizations and other institutions of civil society can participate directly and effectively use the right of public control. .

The role of civil society institutions is of particular importance in our Electoral Code, which was put into practice for the first time during the presidential election. In particular, citizens' self-governing bodies have considerable powers related to the election process.

First, people's deputies present candidates for the membership of the precinct election commission for discussion at the meetings of district and city councils. Secondly, they help the candidates in organizing their meetings with voters, receiving citizens, and exercising other powers in their constituencies. Thirdly, one of the most important innovations introduced into the Election Code is that citizens' self-governance bodies, like political parties, were empowered to place their own observers at each polling station.

In fact, such wide-scale powers given to citizens' self-governing bodies serve to ensure electoral freedom in the process of organizing and holding elections in our country, and to more widely and fully implement public, i.e., people's control. .

The analysis shows that in this year's election, 10,733 observers were attached to the polling stations by the citizens' assemblies of 9,255 neighborhoods in our country. Mandates were given to them in the prescribed manner and necessary opportunities were created for them to operate within their powers.

Also, 15 people worked in district election commissions, and 22,750 citizens' assembly workers worked in precinct election commissions.

In order to effectively organize work related to the election process, the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan prepared reminder manuals for the observers of self-government bodies of citizens.

According to the new Election Code, the participation of observers from citizens' self-governing bodies in the elections is a sign of increasing confidence in the community and expanding their powers. The participation of the representatives of these lower management bodies as observers in the elections is important in making the elections open and transparent, in accordance with democratic principles.

By the decision of the Central Election Commission No. 951 dated October 5, 2019, the Regulation on observers from political parties and citizens' self-government bodies was adopted. This document defines the legal status, rights and obligations of political parties that have nominated candidates for the Presidency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as observers of citizens' self-governance bodies, as well as the procedure for formalizing their documents.

The purpose of such large-scale surveillance is to provide greater public control over the observance of election law in all activities related to the preparation and conduct of the election, including voting and counting of votes on election day.

The chairman (elder) of the citizens' assembly, his deputy, adviser, as well as other officials of the citizens' assembly bodies, can be observers in the elections.

The district election commission shall make a decision and issue a mandate for the observer within five days after receiving the application of the citizen self-government body.

Election commissions, after registering the observer, create conditions for him to exercise his powers fully and without hindrance.

The observer has the right to exercise public control over the observance of the election law in all activities related to the preparation and conduct of the election, as well as in the processes of voting and counting votes on the election day at each polling station. Also, if there are enough grounds to believe that the requirements of the election law have been violated in the polling station, the polling station has the right to inform the members of the election commission or higher-ranking election commissions.

Also, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Election Code, the decisions of the Central Election Commission, when the observer visits election commissions at all levels, state authorities and management bodies and other organizations, he must carry the mandate given to him and a document confirming his identity, and officials must show them according to the requirement.

An observer may not be in the voting booth or room while the voter is marking the ballot. It is also prohibited to influence voters, distribute any campaign material or literature, ask voters who they voted for, or assist voters in marking the ballot in any way. Also, the activity of the precinct election commission, including the sealing and opening of ballot boxes, interfering with the counting of votes, the results of public opinion polls on the day of the election and the day before the start of voting, forecasts of election results, other matters related to the ongoing election publication of research is prohibited.

It should be noted that the monitoring and control of the civil society institutions over the election process and active participation in the political event definitely serve the democratic conduct of the elections.

S. Kurbankulov

Member of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan