TASHKENT, June 28. /TASS/. Early voting in the July 9 early presidential election kicked off in Uzbekistan on Wednesday, the Central Election Commission said in a statement.

"Early voting began today, on June 28. All polling stations in the country and overseas opened for early voting at 11:00 a.m. local time. Voting will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays," the statement reads.

Earlier, June 28 was declared a holiday in the country for Eid al-Adha, while June 29 and 30 were declared days off.

A total of 10,784 polling stations have been set up for the early presidential election, including 56 stations in 39 other countries. Early voting will end on July 5.

On April 30, Uzbekistan held a national referendum on a new draft of the constitution, which calls for extending the presidential term in office from five to seven years, and would also allow incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to be re-elected to the post after completing two consecutive terms.

Under Uzbekistan's Electoral Code, political parties can nominate presidential candidates if they were registered with the Justice Ministry at least six months prior to an election. There are currently five political parties in Uzbekistan. The incumbent president was nominated by the Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party. His candidacy is also supported by the Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival) Democratic Party, which did not put forward a candidate of its own. The People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan nominated party leader Abdushukur Khamzaev; the Ecological Party nominated party leader Ulugbek Inoyatov; and the Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party nominated Robakhon Mahmudova, first deputy chairman of the Supreme Court.