Uzbekistan's Central Election Commission has announced that voting in the country's legislative elections will commence on Sunday. Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan, Zainidin Nizamkhojaev shared at a press conference today that a total of 875 candidates are competing for seats in the Legislative Council. Among these, 375 candidates were nominated by the five recognized political parties, while an additional 500 candidates are running at the district level. This election marks a milestone with women comprising 44.7 percent of all candidates, the highest percentage to date. Another significant first is that all candidates have been nominated solely by political parties. Nizamkhojaev highlighted that electoral campaigns officially began on September 22 and concluded on October 25. During this period, candidates were provided with airtime on national and local media channels to share their platforms, along with dedicated newspaper space for campaign advertisements. The Chairman also in troduced the electronic system E-Saylov, launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Technologies. This system will streamline the election process, offering real-time updates and electronic services to approximately 32,000 participants, including text message notifications. Video cameras have been installed in polling stations, enabling real-time monitoring via the internet, accessible to the public through the Commission's official website and various TV channels, enhancing transparency in the electoral process. Furthermore, a robust international presence will observe the legislative elections, with 851 international monitors, including representatives from thirteen international organizations such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Additionally, 55,000 observers from political parties, over 10,000 from citizen self-governance bodies, and 1,068 accredited media representatives both local and foreign will oversee the proceedings. Concluding the press conference, Nizamkhojaev underscored the commitment of all electoral commissions to uphold Uzbekistan's Election Law. He emphasized the principles of legality, independence, impartiality, transparency, and justice as guiding standards in organizing the elections for members of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and deputies of local councils. Source: Qatar News Agency