DUSHANBE, February 8, Asia-Plus  -- Registration of candidates for parliament and local legislatures (regional, city and district Majlis) is ending today and according to the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER), 150 candidates to run for the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) in 41 single-mandate constituencies have been registered to this day.

Head of CCER’s office Muhibullo Dadajonov told Asia-Plus today that according to their estimates, not more than two or three other candidates for the Majlisi Namoyandagon will be registered today.

“The commission endorsed list of candidates that will be elected through a proportional, party list system from a single, countrywide constituency in mid-January already,” said the CCER official, “The People’s Democratic Party (PDPT) has a party list of 22 candidates, the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) has a party list of 20 candidates, the Communist Party’s (CPT) party list includes 9 candidates, the Social-Democratic Party’s (SDPT) party list – 7 candidates, the Agrarian Party’s (APT) party list – 6 candidates, the party list of the Party of Economic Reforms includes – 4 candidates, the Socialist Party’s (SPT) list – 3 candidates, and the Democratic Party’s (DPT) list – 2 candidates.”

The Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) has 63 members, who are directly elected for a period of 5 years.  22 are elected through a proportional, party list system from a single, countrywide constituency.  To win seats, parties must pass a five percent threshold.  The remaining 41 members are elected from single-mandate constituencies under a majoritarian system.