Kazakhstan has a day of silence before the elections

Kazakhstan has a day of silence before the elections

A day of silence has come in Kazakhstan before the elections to the Majilis and maslikhats. Today, on March 18, at 00.00, the election campaign ended, the agency's correspondent reports. On March 18 and on the voting day, March 19, any campaigning is prohibited. On these days, it is also not allowed to publish in the media the results of polls, forecasts of election results and other studies related to elections, voting in support of candidates. It is also impossible to conduct such polls in a room or polling station, they can only be conducted at the exits of polling stations by registered legal entities that have notified the CEC in writing," Deputy Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Zhandos Morialiev said. He noted that the results of these polls are allowed to be published in the media only after the voting day, that is, from 00.00 on March 20, 2023. Failure to comply with these requirements of the constitutional law entails liability under Articles 102 and 120 of the Administrative Code. These legal requirements relate to both early elections of deputies of the Mazhilis and maslikhats of all levels," the Deputy Prosecutor General said. Recall that on January 19, by presidential decree, early elections of deputies of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan were scheduled. They will be held tomorrow, March 19, 2023. In parallel with the elections of deputies of the Mazhilis, elections of deputies of maslikhats of all levels (district, city, regional) will be held. It is worth noting that the order of formation of the Mazhilis has changed since the new year. This election campaign is conducted according to the new electoral rules and regulations. This year, the transition to a new proportional-majoritarian model was carried out during the elections of deputies of the Majilis of the Parliament and maslikhats, the abolition of the quota of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan in the Majilis of the Parliament and the formation of one of the chambers of the supreme national legislative body by direct voting of citizens, as well as the transfer of the work of territorial election commissions to a professional basis. As previously reported, now 69 deputies of the Mazhilis will be elected on party lists, 29 - in single-mandate territorial electoral districts. The quota of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan in the Majilis is excluded. Amendments are also being made to the constitutional law "On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan" aimed at legislative regulation of the provisions on the election of deputies of the Mazhilis and maslikhats under the majoritarian system. The Mazhilis will be formed both by party lists - 70%, and by single-mandate districts - 30%. Maslikhats of regions - according to party lists - 50%, in single-mandate districts - 50% of deputies. Maslikhats of districts - completely by single-mandate districts. According to the Central Election Commission, as of 18.00 on February 18, the CEC registered party lists of candidates for the Majilis of the parliament of all 7 political parties of the country, which included 281 candidates, of which 107 people are women, youth and persons with disabilities, who, as is known, in accordance with the legislation must be at least 30 percent of the total number included in the list. Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Abdirov informed that 385 candidates were registered in the Majilis of the Parliament in single-mandate districts as of March 13. The greatest competition was noted in the electoral districts of Astana and Almaty, it is 38 and 40, as well as 30, 28 and 27 candidates for one mandate. The least competition based on the results of registration was formed in district No. 25 of the Turkestan region - 4 candidates for one mandate. The accreditation of international observers ended on March 13. The Central Election Commission accredited 793 observers, including representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR observer mission, OSCE PA, CIS, IPA CIS, CSTO PA, Organization of Turkic States, TurkPA, SCO, CICA, OIC, Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, as well as from 41 foreign states. The CEC Chairman said that representatives of the central election commissions of 16 countries, including the chairmen of the central election commissions of Azerbaijan, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, will arrive to observe the elections through bilateral cooperation. According to the CEC, as of February 26, 12 million 32 thousand 550 citizens were included in the voter lists submitted to the polling stations by local executive bodies. Citizens of Kazakhstan can take part in the early elections of deputies of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan abroad, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports. 77 polling stations have been established in 62 foreign countries at the foreign institutions of Kazakhstan. The Central Election Commission reported that 33.4 billion tenge was allocated for the elections. 

Source: www.kt.kz