DUSHANBE, January 6, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan is expected to reduce an electoral deposit for parliamentary candidates from 8,000 somoni to 4,000 somoni.

The board (Shuro) of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament discussed a bill requiring amendments to the country’s law on parliamentary elections at a January 6 meeting, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov.

“Speaking at the meeting, MP Mahmadali Vatanov said that they took into consideration recommendations of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) while working out the amendments to the RT Law “On Election to the Majlisi Oli” and noted that the amendments are aimed at, first of all, removing existing discrepancy,” Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon, said.

According to him, Vatanov stressed that the amendments, in particular, provide for reducing the electoral deposit required from each candidate from 8,000 somoni to 4,000 somoni, increasing the share of candidates elected from political party lists from 30 to 45 percent, and increasing air time for candidates.

We will recall that representatives of political parties and local experts have reportedly noted that a sizeable electoral deposit prevents many prospective candidates from running.   

The Majlisi Namoyandagon consists of 63 deputies, and currently, 22 of them are elected proportionally from political party lists in a single nationwide constituency with a 5 percent threshold for seat allocation and forty-one deputies are elected in single-mandate constituencies under a two-round majoritarian system.