On December 22 of this year, the elections of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, deputies of regional, district and city councils of People's Deputies will be held. These days, the election campaign is in full swing. Our interview with Suyarjon QURBONQULOV, a permanent member of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a well-known journalist, was about the work being carried out by the CEC in conducting elections at a high organizational level, based on the principles of transparency.
- This year, for the first time in our country, elections will be held based on the Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. According to the Code, the number of constituencies for elections to the Legislative Chamber of Deputies has increased. What is the reason for this?
- Yes, in accordance with the Election Code, the number of constituencies for the election of deputies of the Legislative Chamber has been increased to one hundred and fifty. Previously, there were 135 constituencies and 15 deputies were elected from the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan.
Now you know that the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan has been established. Therefore, this party puts its candidates in the general elections and competes equally with other political parties for the deputy mandate. This means that an environment of healthy competition will be created for all political parties. It will pave the way for the elections to be held in the conditions of mutual equality, in a purely democratic spirit.
Thus, the Legislative Chamber will consist of 150 deputies elected for five years. Deputies of the lower house of our parliament are elected on the basis of multi-party constituencies. As stated in Article 37 of the Election Code, only political parties have the right to nominate candidates for the Legislative Chamber and local councils.
There are currently five political parties operating in our country. These are - the movement of entrepreneurs and businessmen - the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the Democratic Party of Uzbekistan "National Revival", the People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the Social-Democratic Party of Uzbekistan "Adolat", the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan.
At this point, I would like to draw your attention to another important change in the electoral law that concerns all of us. This is related to the voting time on election day. Previously, voting in elections was held from 06:00 to 20:00, now voting starts at 08:00 and ends at 20:00. It should be noted that this was a very correct solution, considering that the elections will be held mostly at the end of the year, in the winter season.
- What other changes have taken place in the Election Code that all voters and elected officials need to know?
- If you count the important innovations provided for in the Code, there are more than thirty. Among them, one of the "innovative changes" recognized by experts on electoral rights, including many experts of international organizations, is the single electronic list of voters. Now a single electronic list of all Voters in our country has been formed, and voters will be able to get the necessary information on the official website of the Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan.
The decision of the head of our state on October 4, 2018 "On measures to introduce modern information and communication technologies into the election process" is an important factor in the implementation of such important changes in the national election system.
It should be noted that the specialists of the Central Election Commission have been working actively and effectively for almost a year to introduce a unified electronic list of voters in cooperation with relevant state and non-state organizations. In particular, voters were registered by going door-to-door, and each voter's residence was attached to the cadastral number.
The purpose of this is to fully and flawlessly implement the principle of "one voter - one vote". For example, if a voter changes his place of residence, temporarily registers in another place, this change will be reflected in the unified electronic list of voters. Serves the voter to vote only once in one place.
It also creates other conveniences for voters through the electronic system. For example, by opening the website of the Central Election Commission (ELECTIONS.UZ) and entering the passport number, a voter can easily find out which polling station he belongs to and the address of the polling station.
- Suyarjon Masharifovich, as a member of the Central Election Commission, you are well aware of the progress of work related to thorough preparation for the election in the regions and its holding at a high organizational level. What can you say about this ongoing process?
- Preparations for the elections are in full swing throughout our country. Yesterday it was the turn of the CEC
The order, location, boundaries and number of voters of all constituencies holding elections for deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis were formed at the 10th meeting. In other words, 150 constituencies were created across our country.
In connection with the adoption of the Election Code, such large-scale work is consistently carried out by the Central Election Commission in accordance with the program of main activities for preparing for the elections of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, regional, district and city councils of People's Deputies. It is important to emphasize that the implementation of the tasks defined in the program was started earlier than ever - from June.
Seminar-training sessions aimed at increasing the knowledge and skills of candidates for election commissions at all levels regarding news of election legislation, preparing for elections and conducting them, began three months earlier than usual - on August 3.
This multi-level method of teaching, which expands and improves from top to bottom, gives its high results. About 51,000 candidates for chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and secretaries of election commissions were trained in the two completed stages. From October 3, the third round of seminar-trainings continues.
I have been regularly participating in such seminars and trainings held in all districts of the oasis as a person in charge of assisting in the preparations for the elections in the Surkhandarya region. Last week, we visited the city of Termiz, Uzun, Sariosia and Zhargorgon districts, and got acquainted with the necessary conditions for holding elections in election commissions.
In order to organize elections at a high level in the region, 11 constituencies were created for holding elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, 60 for holding elections for the Regional Council of People's Deputies, and 409 for holding elections for district and city councils. At the moment, the formation of the composition of all district election commissions is coming to an end. Also, 785 precinct election commissions are planned to operate in the oasis. Representatives of political parties in the region are completing signature collection work. The regional branch of the International Press Center of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan has started its activities.
- You worked effectively in the system of citizens' self-government bodies. The election legislation of our country contains a number of norms regarding the participation of citizens' self-governing bodies in the election process. What is the significance of these norms?
- According to the current legal documents, this unique body is given a lot of powers, if you count, there are more than seventy. Isn't that the actual expression of democracy? Among the powers of citizens' self-government bodies, there are many powers related to elections.
First, People's Deputies submit recommendations for the candidates of members of district election commissions holding elections to district and city councils;
Secondly, People's Deputies present candidates for the membership of the precinct election commission for discussion at the meetings of district and city councils;
Thirdly, the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, People's Deputies assist the deputies of regional, district and city councils in organizing their meetings with voters, receiving citizens, and exercising other powers in their constituencies.
Fourthly, 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.
It should be noted that such wide-scale powers given to self-governing bodies of citizens serve to ensure freedom of elections in the process of organizing and holding elections in our country, and more extensive and complete implementation of public, i.e., people's control.
- Who can be observers of the self-government bodies of citizens during the elections? Please take a closer look at this innovation, which is being used in practice for the first time in the national election system of our country.
- This issue was discussed in detail at the recent regular meeting of the Central Election Commission with the participation of leaders of political parties, citizens' self-government bodies, and mass media representatives. A regulation on observers of political parties and self-government bodies of citizens was adopted.
In this document, developed in accordance with Article 33 of the Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, "On Political Parties", "On Self-Governing Bodies of Citizens", the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and People's Deputies are appointed to the regional, district and city councils.
the legal status, rights and obligations of observers of political parties nominated by candidates, as well as 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 legislation 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' self-government bodies, his deputy, adviser, as well as other officials of the bodies of the citizens' assembly can be observers in the elections.
It should be noted that, in addition to local observers, the upcoming elections will be monitored by the missions of prestigious international organizations and foreign countries, such as the UN, OSCE, SCO, CIS Executive Committee, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the World Association of Electoral Authorities.
- What rights and obligations are imposed on the observer by the observation mandate?
- Such a mandate gives many rights to the observer of the body of self-government of citizens. In particular, the observer has the right to participate in all activities related to the preparation and conduct of the election, as well as voting and counting of votes on the election day at the relevant polling station.
The observer must follow the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Election Code, decisions of the Central Election Commission.
- This year, a number of legal documents have been adopted in our country to ensure the interests and rights of women, including their rights and interests related to elections, in a wider and consistent manner. Among them are the Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the laws "On guarantees of equal rights and opportunities for women and men", "On the protection of women from harassment and violence".
In the process of preparing for and holding elections, how much attention is being paid to ensuring equal voting rights of women with men?
- Ensuring gender equality and tolerance, women's participation in decision-making regarding the social and political life of the state and society, expansion of electoral rights and opportunities, protection of their legitimate interests, and further raising of their status and activity in society are among the most important directions of the state policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. .
The adoption of the new legal acts you mentioned is a clear manifestation of this in practice. Our state guarantees women's equal participation with men in managing society and state affairs, in the election process, as well as ensuring equal rights and opportunities in other spheres of state and community life.
The concept of "gender equality", which is widely used in the international community, means that men and women can participate on an equal basis in all spheres of state and society, including governance, decision-making and security.
In our country, special attention is always paid to ensuring women's voting rights. After all, the number of women voters in our country exceeds 10 million. This is a very important and significant indicator.
This year, agreements were signed with the Women's Committee of Uzbekistan and the Central Council of the Youth Union of Uzbekistan on mutual cooperation in the process of preparing for and holding elections. The agreements set concrete measures to increase the legal culture of women and young people, especially young men and women who vote for the first time, to ensure their active participation in elections and voting.
Here we should note that such agreements were signed with the Society of the Disabled of Uzbekistan, the Society of the Blind of Uzbekistan and the Society of the Deaf of Uzbekistan.
The goal is to strengthen cooperation with societies that unite people with disabilities during the elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, People's Deputies to regional, district and city councils.
After all, according to Article 4 of the Election Code, citizens have equal right to vote regardless of gender, race and nationality, language, religion, social origin, faith, personal and social status, education, type and nature of occupation.
If you pay attention to Article 70 of this code, you will be sure that the number of women should be at least thirty percent of the total number of candidates for the deputies nominated by a political party to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.
According to Article 91 of this Code, the number of women is equal to the total number of candidates for local council deputies nominated by political parties.
ng should be at least thirty percent.
At the moment, in the course of the elections, special attention is paid to socially active women in the process of recommending candidates for the membership of district and precinct election commissions to the representative bodies of state power by self-government bodies of citizens, public associations, enterprises, institutions and organizations. In other words, in this year's elections, there will be more women among the leaders and members of district and precinct election commissions than ever before.
Such large-scale and consistent work carried out in the national election system of our country serves to ensure the democratic, open and transparent conduct of elections on the basis of universally recognized international standards and principles, the full and effective provision of the rights of all citizens to vote and be elected.
The conversation
Bakhtiyar ABDUSATTOROV
organized.
