The ruling People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDP) has nominated Ms. Mavloudakhon Mirzozoda, a judge at the Sughd regional court, to run in by-elections to the lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the parliament in constituency # 14 (Bobojonghafourov district of Sughd province).

The by-elections in constituency # 14 are scheduled for April 23, Usmon Soleh, the head of the PDP public relations department, told Asia-Plus in an interview.

Recall, Ms. Mavlouda Qalandarzoda who represented constituency # 14 in the Majlisi Namoyandagon retired from the parliament in February this year in connection with being appointed to head Tajikistan’s High economic Court.

To-date, no any other political party or an initiative group has nominated its candidate for parliamentary by-elections in this constituency.  

Founded on December 10, 1994, the People’s Democratic Party is the largest political party in Tajikistan, boasting more than 480,000 registered members.  President Emomali Rahmon is chairman of the party.

At the legislative elections, February 27 and March 13, 2005, the party won 74% of the popular vote and 52 out of 63 seats (74 percent of the popular vote).  This was an increase from the 2000 elections, in which they won 64.9% of the vote and 38 seats.  At the legislative elections, February 28, 2010, the party won 71.69% of the popular vote and 45 out of 63 seats.  The ruling party dominated parliamentary elections held in March 2015 as well.  At the last legislative election, March 1, 2015, the PDP won 65.4 percent of the vote and 51 out of 63 seats.