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Voting in Kazakhstan passing actively in quiet atmosphere

All the 9,764 polling stations opened on time

ASTANA, January 15 (Itar-Tass) — The voting at the elections to the lower chamber of the Kazakh parliament is passing actively and in a quiet atmosphere, said on Sunday secretary of the republican Central Election Commission Bakhyt Meldeshov, opening the press centre at the CEC building.

He confirmed that all the polling stations opened at 06.00. “The voting started at 07.00 at the ahead-of-time elections to the lower chamber of the Kazakh parliament and the regular elections to local bodies of self-government,” Meldeshov said.

Asked by Itar-Tass, the CEC secretary emphasized that no incidents had been recorded. “All the 9,764 polling stations opened on time,” he added.

The voting ends at 20.00, while it will be extended to 21.00 in four western regions of Kazakhstan. The Kazakh CEC promised to make known preliminary data on voting results in the afternoon of January 16. Official results are to be summed up no later than January 22 and published before January 25.

Seven political parties participate in the elections. According to changes made in legislation, no less than two parties are to be represented in the lower chamber of the legislature.

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