TASHKENT: Uzbeks exercised their voting rights after polls opened across the gas-rich country on Sunday to choose a leader to drive their country into the future for the next seven years.

At a press briefing early morning, the Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan, announced that polling exercise began at 8am and was set to close at 8pm on Sunday, with about 20 million Uzbeks eligible to vote in Central Asia’s most populous country.

The snap election came months after a constitutional referendum paved the way for the incumbent president Shavkat Mirziyoyev to serve two more presidential terms and increased the tenure from five to seven years.

President Mirziyoyev, was running against three candidates — Ulugbek Inoyatov of the People’s Democratic Party, Robakhon Mahmudova of “Adolat” (Justice) Social Democratic Party and Abdushukur Khamzaev of the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan.

Early voting, which took place from June 28 to July 5, this year, was participated by 815,313 voters, of whom 180,729 voted abroad and 634,584, inside the country. The list of voters included more than 19.5 million citizens, which included 53 per cent women and 47pc men, said the Central Election Commission.

The Central Election Commission, claimed that presidential elections were conducted in full compliance with its national electoral legislation, international norms and standards, and international democratic principles such as openness, transparency, and fairness.

More than 53,000 local observers from political parties that had nominated presidential candidates and from citizens’ self-governing bodies directly observed the elections. A total of 1,400 local and foreign media representatives monitored the electoral process to ensure transparency.

According to the Central Election Commission the exercise remained peaceful throughout, with no incidents of violations reported. Head of polling station number 213, Haydarova Ziyoda Tolipovna, told Dawn that technological innovations such as face recognition systems were introduced to ensure polling was fair. She said that polling station 213, served 1,863 residents of two neighbourhoods. “There are 12 first time voters, who were warmly greeted and given presents besides three visually challenged participants. More than 500 women from the two neighbourhoods also cast their votes as actively as the men,” she said.

Atabayeva Sevara Kamilovna, had been voting from the age of 18. On Sunday, she was among the first to cast a vote for her favourite contestant. “Under his rule, there were advancements in women’s education. I was able to start my own business on easy loans. And under his progressive vision I intend to expand my business and coach young girls,” said Ms Kamilovna, who was a hairdresser.

Isoxojayev Shukrulla Sunnatilla Ogli, also an active voter since the age of 18, had seen his country come a long way specially in the last decade. “I see our

lives changing for the better in the next ten years, especially for our grandchildren,” said the 64 years old retired chef.

Voting was still ongoing till the time of filing this story and the Central Election Commission said it would announce the final results by Monday.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2023