Pakistani Observer Monitors Polling Process of Uzbekistan Referendum 2023 in Tashkent

Tazeen Akhtar from Tashkent

A large number of citizens of Tashkent cast their vote at the polling station of Nizami University in the early hours of the referendum on constitutional amendments on 30 April. It was Sunday but the University was humming with the continuosly pouring in voters of all ages women and men. Certainly a notable count was from the youth as well.

This scribe visited the polling station at 10-45 AM and remained their for one hour watching every step of checking the name in the printed list pasted clearly at the entrance, getting the ballot paper, cross matching the ID in digital system in which single electronic voting list is available and finally use of right of opinion in favour or in opposition of the amendments.

Today at 8:00 am , 10,703 polling stations opened their doors to citizens for voting in the referendum. 19 million 7 hundred 22 thousand 809 voters are registered in the single electronic voter list.

Chief Election Commissioner Mr. Zayniddin Nizomxodjayev, earlier on the day shared that   a total of 307 thousand 895 citizens were included in the list of voters in 55 referendum precincts created abroad. Citizens of Uzbekistan used the right to early voting for
the first time in the referendum held on April 19-26th of this year 611,320 citizens voted early.During the previous referendums, the legislation did not provide for such opportunities. This year’s referendum, it was possible to monitor the voting process in real time (online) through video cameras installedin up to two referendum precincts located in all districts and cities of Uzbekistan.The voting process can be continuously monitored on the screens in the Press Center of the Central Election Commission, on the official website of saylov.uz, as well as through “Uzbekistan 24” and other TV channels of the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan. 383 international observers, including 184 from 14 prestigious international organizations and 199 from 45 countries, are directly monitoring the referendum.

More than 44,000 local observers from political parties and citizens’ self-government bodies are participating in direct observation.964 representatives of accredited mass media, including 192 representatives from 127 foreign mass media, are directly monitoring and covering the referendum.

The referendum is being seen as the milestone in the journey of reaching to New Uzbekistan where the people of the republic can avail more opportunities of development, equality, citizens and human rights, proper lives as the results of the referendum will help construct a more public friendly republic with more doors towards economic, cultural, educational, employment rights.

Editor Tazeen Akhtar visited another polling station at 110 Maktab Tashkent. Here total number of votes are 2096. The list was pasted at the entrance for the eyes of the intending voters. The staff was alert and sharply attending the voters to confirm their ID and registration to facilitate early cast of their vote. 

@ 4 PM, the number of cast votes was 1961 that makes a percentage of more than 92 %. The guideline charts were posted on the walls to save the citizens from losing their vote by committing any mistake. The representatives of different political parties were also present to monitor the process.

The incharg of the polling station took this observer to all steps and the translator breifed the editor about the working in detail. No complaint from any voter was launched at this polling station. The voters were still coming when the time of polling was left 4 hours.

The head of election personnel shared that all citizens including male females elderly and youth are visiting the polling station to use their right of vote. She said that the number of youth is notable who cared to cast their vote as their social and national obligation.