The Central Election Commission (CEC) conducted a session chaired by Mr.Mazahir Panahov on January 11, 2020. During the session an issue on the general results of the Municipal Elections held on December 23, 2019 was considered.

The Municipal Elections was conducted freely, fairly and transparently, thereby have playing a special role in the history of the country. During the discussion of the Commission members it was informed that the Municipal Elections held on December 23 was valid and held in compliance with the Constitution, Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and other legislative acts.

It was noted that CEC and the relevant state structures focused on the implementation of the duties and authorities implied by the Election Code for the top-level preparation and conduct of elections. Important stages in the election process which include the update of voters’ lists, improve of normative-legal framework, raising awareness of all election actors including voters, nomination and registration of candidates to municipality membership, facilitating pre-election campaign on equal conditions, free access for observers and media representatives to be engaged independently and all other steps were put forward in comply with the "Calendar Plan for basic activities and measures on the preparation and conduct of Municipal Elections”, compiled and approved by CEC.

The Municipal Elections were conducted on 5049 polling stations of 118 election constituencies out of 125 due to impossibility of holding the Municipal Elections on 7 election constituencies covering the regions, the territories of which were occupied by Armenia. 41462 candidacies were registered to 15156 municipality membership and all the candidates were provided with equal conditions and opportunities during pre-election campaign. All the appeals regarding the Municipal Elections were discussed by the Commission members and relevant decisions were adopted upon including the appeals at the session agenda once they had been investigated thoroughly and fairly to ensure citizens’ election rights further.

Alongside with other mediums to ensure transparency in the Municipal elections, webcams which allow to monitor the voting process lively were installed in 1000 polling stations (nearly 20% of the polling stations where elections are conducted), which covered the whole country geography excluding the territories under occupation. Internet users were able to monitor all the processes on the voting day in polling stations lively through the CEC website without any registration either within the country or outside the country.

Along with 17 international observers, more than 52636local observers representing different political parties, registered candidates, non-governmental organizations, also those who joined the elections on their own initiatives, as well as, local and foreign media representatives who functioned in the republic observed the elections independently and freely. The votes were being counted incessantly after the voting ended on Election Day, preliminary results on more than 92% of polling stations and protocol information were posted in an operative manner on the CEC website in few hoursafter the voting ended to make local and international community familiar with the election returns. The direct transfer process of the information from the polling stations was carried regularly and the preliminary results on all polling stations were submitted to the public within short period.

Voters expressed their will in free and independent manner by coming to polling stations in the Municipal Elections and generally, 32.69 % of the voters’ total number on the country participated in the voting.

The decision adopted after the broad discussion by the Commission membersrequired to annul the voting results in 39polling stations, regarding the elections on 9 municipalities as invalid, considering the formation of 1595municipalities in full composition where general election results had been officially approved and declaration of a list of the elected municipality members.

12 PECs – PECs5,6,7 of Nasimi second Con.EC # 22, PEC # 9 of Nasimi-SabailCon.EC # 23, PECs # 3,4 of Nizami first Con.EC # 24,PEC # 14 of Neftchala Con.EC # 61, PECs # 8, 10 of Jalilabad-Masalli Con.EC # 69, PEC # 4 of FuzuliCon.EC # 84, PEC # 3 of Zagatala-Balaken Con.EC # 111and PEC # 13 of Aghdam villageCon.EC # 119were dismissed due to the mistakes allowed in their activity during the preparation, conduct of elections and determination of results.

At the end the Central Election Commission compiled a final protocol on the general election results of the Municipal Elections and the protocol was approved upon being signed by the Commission members.

Representatives of international organizations and mass media also took part at the session.

AZERTAC