Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Azerbaijan's Central Election Commission (CEC) has registered the chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, President Ilham Aliyev as a presidential candidate for the upcoming presidential elections due on October 9.

During a CEC meeting held on August 24 under the chairmanship of CEC head Mazahir Panahov it was noted that the proper way of documenting 45,000 signatures of voters, collected for the registration of Ilham Aliyev's candidacy, was at the highest level, and only 206 signatures turned out to be invalid.

Speaking at the meeting Panahov said that a group of experts has been created to verify the signature lists.

Transparency of the work of expert groups was provided at the highest level, Panahov added.

An authorized representative of the ruling party submitted signature lists and documents required for official registration to the CEC on August 20.

According to the law, the signatures must be submitted at least 50 days before the election and no later than 30 days before the election.

The senior electoral body approved Ilham Aliyev's candidacy for participation in the 2013 presidential elections on August 10.

Also, during the meeting the CEC approved Ilyas Ismayilov as a presidential candidate from the Adalat party. Representatives of the Adalat party were registered as well.

CEC secretary Arifa Mukhtarova said that the CEC has revealed certain violations and ommisions in the documents submitted by Ilgar Mammadov. His documents were not in appropriate order.

"Therefore, the documents were returned for revision. The author made changes, but the violations which were in the documents remained, and the identity card of Ilgar Mammadov was not submitted," Mukhtarova said.

Although Ilgar Mammadov is held in pre-trial detention, the CEC has sent him questions related to his documents, CEC deputy chairman Natig Mammadov said.

CEC head Panahov, in turn, said there is no basis for approval of his candidacy in the current conditions as the CEC hasn't received answers to its questions.

The CEC made a decision to postpone approval of Ilgar Mammadov's candidacy till the commission receives the answers.

Panahov went on to say that two more candidates have submitted documents to the CEC - Aghaevli Ali Isa Haji oghlu from the New Reformists initiative group and Jamil Hasanli.

Earlier the CEC received the documents of 18 candidates, including New Azerbaijan Party chairman, President Ilham Aliyev, the leaders of Azadlig Party Ahmed Oruj and Citizens and Development Party Ali Aliyev, Liberal Democratic Party's Fuad Aliyev, Umid Party's Igbal Aghazade, United People's Front Party's Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Social-Democratic Party's Araz Alizade, Modern Musavat Party's Hafiz Hajiyev, the leader of the National Revival Party Faraj Guliyev, the leader of Adalat Party Ilyas Ismayilov; director of the East-West research center Arastun Orujlu; as well as lawyer Ilgar Mammadov (Altai), MP Zahid Oruj, Elshan Hasanov, Ismayil Yusifov, Gudrat Isagov, Ilgar Mammadov, who nominated their candidacies upon their own initiative, and Rustam Ibrahimbayov from the initiative group of the National Council.

15 of them have been approved as presidential candidates: Ilham Aliyev, Ahmed Oruj, Ilgar Mammadov (Altai), Igbal Aghazade, Fuad Aliyev, Ali Aliyev, Araz Alizade, Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Hafiz Hajiyev, Zahid Oruj, Faraj Guliyev, Arastun Orujlu, Elshan Hasanov, Ismayil Yusifov and Gudrat Isagov.

According to the Constitution, the president of Azerbaijan is elected for a five-year term through general, direct and equal elections, by free, private and secret voting.

Azerbaijani citizens who have the right of election, an initiative group of electors, political parties and blocs of political parties are entitled to nominating candidates.

All candidates must submit the required documents to the CEC from August 20 to September 9.

A candidate who gets a signature list should return it within a week and after that the CEC will solve the issue regarding his/her official registration.

The official election campaign will begin 23 days before the election. It will take place from September 16 to October 8.

Free airtime and space for publications will be allocated for registered presidential candidates as part of the pre-election campaign. Free air time will be allocated to candidates on Public Television and Radio Broadcasting company, while space for publications will be provided in Azerbaijan, Khalq Gazeti, Respublika and Bakinskiy Rabochiy newspapers.

If other broadcasters and periodicals decide to allocate paid air time and space for publication within the pre-election campaign, they are required to notify the CEC. Information about the conditions and payment is to be published no later than 35 days after the official announcement of the decision to schedule the elections.

According to the electoral law, the campaign can only be conducted from September 16 until 18:00 on October 8 and only by those authorized for such activity as stipulated by the legislation and in compliance with the pertinent rules.

Publication and dissemination of materials in the media which contradict the above-mentioned requirements and may cause violation of the rules as well as campaign materials that are in favor of or against any candidate (approved candidate) are prohibited.