Gauhar Zahid Malik in Tashkent
Uzbekistan is all set to go for historic post-reforms Presidential Elections today (Sunday). More than 19.66 million registered voters are expected to use their right of vote to elect the country’s new President for the next seven years.
Chairman Central Election Commission Zainiddin Nizamkhojaev at a press briefing on Saturday said elections would be held in a fair and transparent manner and all necessary arrangements have been completed in this regard.
The CEC chief further said that in order to ensure openness and transparency of the presidential election, international observers and journalists have been given open access to visit polling stations and observe the polling process tomorrow.
He said that there were more than 797 foreign observers and journalists who have been accredited for elections.
The CEC added that there are four main candidates contesting elections for President of Uzbekistan. They are: Ulugbek Ilyasovich INOYATOV, Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, Presidential Candidate of the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen – Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Robakhon Anvarovna Makhmudova, Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Party Adolat of Uzbekistan and Abdushukur Khudoykulovich KHAMZAEV Presidential Candidate of the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan. It is noted that the Uzbek citizens abroad have already voted in their respective diplomatic missions including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Iran.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Uzbek people in June this year in a referendum overwhelmingly voted for the reforms initiated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
This presidential election thus has assumed significance with regard to the Uzbek people’s trust in the reforms process of their president. The presidential elections are going to be held on July 9, 2023, more than three years ahead of the originally scheduled date in 2026.
