DUSHANBE, November 2, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Members of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament, who have interrupted their work for participation in an agitation campaign to support presidential candidates, have reportedly violated the Majlisi Namoyandagon rules.

MP Saidumar Husaini, who represents the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) in the Majlisi Namoyandagon, told this in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“They have received permission from the Majlisi Namoyandagon speaker Shukurjon Zuhurov but this contradicts the Majlisi Namoyandagon rules,” Husaini noted.

“Shukurjon Zuhurov said that the Majlisi Namoyandagon board permitted parliamentarians who came to the parliament from the party lists to participate in agitation campaigns to support their presidential candidates, but this decision contradicts the parliament’s rules” said MP.

MP Shodi Shabdolov, who is also leader of the Communist Party of Tajikistan, says that under the country’s legislation only authorized representatives of presidential candidates are permitted to temporarily leave their main jobs for the period of agitation campaign.

He stressed that under the parliament’s rules parliamentarians should go to regions for meetings with their voters only during parliamentary summer recess.

Meanwhile, only three members of the Majlisi Namoyandagon are authorized representatives of presidential candidates: Shodi Shabdolov is authorized representative of Ismoil Talbakov from the Communist Party; Olim Salimzoda is authorized representative of Emomali Rahmon from the People’s Democratic Party; and Muhammadsharif Nizomov is authorized representative of the Olim Boboyev from the Party of Economic Reforms.

Meantime, the faction of the ruling People’s Democratic Party in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (45 parliamentarians) has participated in the agitation campaign to support Rahmon’s candidacy in full force.

The lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the Tajik parliament is elected on the basis of universal, free, equal, and direct elections by means of secret ballot.  The Majlisi Namoyandagon is the professional chamber and functions on a permanent basis.  Citizens not younger than 25 years are elected to the Majlisi Namoyandagon.  The Majlisi Namoyandagon has 63 deputies and the ruling People’s Democratic Party now controls some 65 percent of the seats in parliament (45 of 63 seats).