Tazeen Akhtar from Tashkent
The citizens of Republic of Uzbekistan have cast their votes in large number in the early hours of the polling for Referendum 2023. According to official sources 12 million 083 thousand 105 citizens or 62.24 percent voted at the precinct and district referendum commissions of the Republic of Uzbekistan till 1 p.m. The number and percentage 14 Million 206 Thousand , 73.17 % till 4 PM. Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Bakhrom Kuchkarov shared the details at press conference at Central Press Center of CEC at 2 PM in this regard. He clarified that these figures are the basis for the Central Election Commission to declare the current referendum valid. Final decision will be made on the basis of the results of the vote.
He said, “Our citizens continue to vote in the referendum on the draft constitutional law “On the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan”. With the help of video cameras installed in referendum precincts in different regions of Uzbekistan, we can observe how our citizens actively participate in the referendum.”
Information Center received a total of 148 appeals from citizens, which were handled by professionals within a short time frame. If necessary, they are investigated locally with the help of district commissions or authorized government agencies. Not a single appeal goes unprocessed.
“According to Article 38 of the Law “On the Referendum of the Republic of Uzbekistan”, the referendum is considered valid if at least half of the citizens registered as eligible to vote participated in the referendum, He noted.
According to the law, every citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan has equal voting rights. The referendum is held by free and secret ballot. Control of the voters’ expression of will is not allowed. In accordance with the referendum legislation, the Precinct Referendum Commissions shall organize voting at the place of residence of the citizens entitled to vote for those citizens who for health or other reasons cannot come to the polling station.
An Information Center has also been established to provide the Central Election Commission with up-to-date information on the referendum process. All citizens can contact this center with their appeals on referendum issues. The telephone number of our Information Center is 12-00 for calls within the country and (55) 500-12-00 for our citizens abroad.
He concluded, “In general, the referendum is held in full compliance with applicable legal norms and international standards.The Central Election Commission monitors full compliance with the law during the voting process.”
Currently, information on the number of voters from all 10,758 referendum precincts on the territory of the Republic is being collected.
Mr. Bakhrom Kuchkarov shared the latest information at 4 PM in which he disclosed that according to the information received by 3:00 p.m., 14 million 206 thousand 21 citizens, i.e. 73.17 percent of the citizens registered in the lists on the territory of Uzbekistan, have participated in the referendum.
In this way, when looking at a region-by-region perspective:
1st Karakalpakstan Referendum District- 76.56 percent;
2nd Andijan Referendum District – 78.46 percent;
3rd Bukhara Referendum District – 69.80 percent;
4th-Jizzak Referendum District – 72.71 percent;
5th-Navoi Referendum District – 69.25 percent;
6th Namangan Referendum District – 74.76 percent;
7th Samarkand Referendum District – 73.70 percent;
8th Syrdarya Referendum District – 78.83 percent;
9th Surkhandarya Referendum District – 69.56 percent;
10th Referendum District of Tashkent region – 71.36 percent;
11th Fergana Referendum District – 77.53 percent;
12th Khorezm Referendum District – 72.08 percent;
13th Kashkadarya Referendum District – 70.97 percent;
In the 14th Tashkent City Referendum District – 68.49 per cent of citizens voted.
Voting in referendum precincts in Vladivostok, Tokyo, Seoul and Gwangju is now complete. Counting and tabulation of ballots has begun in these precincts.
Voting continues in referendum precincts established in other foreign countries.
It should be recalled that 307,895 citizens are registered in the lists of voters at the referendum precincts abroad. Of these, 159,276 have voted early.
LATEST @ 5 pm – 15 Million 802 Thousand votes cast / 81. 39 %
