Azernews.Az

By Gunay Hasanova

Human Rights Commissioner of Azerbaijan Elmira Suleymanova and employees of the Ombudsman Office will monitor the progress of the upcoming constitutional referendum as independent observers, the press service of the Office reported on September 8.

Some 40 members of the staff apparatus, including the representatives of regional centers of Ombudsman, will monitor the course of the referendum.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has so far registered 846 observers for the upcoming referendum. The district polling stations have registered 37,429 observers.

The League of Protection of Labor rights, Center for Aid and independent advice "For Civil Society" and, Independent Research Center “ELS” passed registration to conduct Exit Poll.

September 26, 2016, was set as the date for the referendum on proposed changes to the constitution of Azerbaijan.

In a bill recently sent to the Constitutional Court, President Ilham Aliyev proposed amendments to 29 Articles of Azerbaijan’s current constitution. The changes envisage the extension of the presidential term from five to seven years, the establishment of the first vice-president and vice-president positions in the country as well as the abolishment of minimum age limit for presidential candidates, dissolution of parliament by the president.

Final results of the Referendum will be announced until October 21.

The last time changes to the Constitution were made seven years ago, following Constitutional referendum held in 2009.

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