Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has approved the candidacies of the nominee from Azerbaijan Democratic Party Sardar Jalaloglu and self-nominated Rauf Guliyev and Hidayat Rustambayli for the upcoming presidential elections. Thus, the number of approved candidates reached 21.

During a CEC meeting held on August 31 under the chairmanship of CEC head Mazahir Panahov, authorized representatives of all the three candidates as well as 20 representatives of Jamil Hasanli, the candidate from the opposition National Council, were registered as well.

Speaking at the meeting, the CEC chairman said that to date, 785 people have been registered as observers for the presidential elections.

Panahov also warned the approved candidates that September 9 is the deadline for the submission of signature lists to the CEC.

So far, only the candidacy of the chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, President Ilham Aliyev was registered for the presidential elections, due on October 9.

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.

The U.S. government does not plan to send a special mission to Azerbaijan for the observation of the upcoming presidential elections, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan Jonas Stewart told Trend news agency on August 30.

An observation group consisting of U.S embassy staff will conduct monitoring of the elections.

This year missions from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), GUAM and other international organizations will observe the elections.