KULOB, April 2, Asia-Plus - Former interior minister Khumdin Sharipov, nominated by ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDPT) to run for a seat representing Kulob constituency # 37 in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament), faced no competitors in an April 1 vote.

Saidibrohim Nazar, activist of the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT), who was also registered to contest the seat representing this constituency in parliament, withdrew his candidacy on March 31, at 7:00 p.m., to protest violation of the country’s election legislation by the Kulob electoral commission. 

According to him, he withdrew his candidacy as a token of protest against the commission’s refusing to include representatives from the IRPT on electoral commissions at polling stations.  “We filed suit to a court in Kulob on March 29 but the court has made no decision,” said Nazar, “Therefore there was no sense in continuing this game.” 

In the meantime, the Kulob court head Aslam Kholov said in an interview with Asia-Plus said that the court had considered the suit “because it had been prepared with violation of requirements of the country’s Civil Procedural Code.”  “The suit was filed without stating addresses of petitioner and defendant and the decision of the electoral commission was not attached,” Kholov said.  

Muhammadsharif Nabiyev, the head of the IRPT for the city of Kulob, said that they received the electoral commission’s decision only April 1. 

The seat representing the Kulob constituency in the Majlisi Namoyandagon had been held by Abdujabbor Shamsov.  The position had been declared vacant because Shamsov had been appointed deputy interior minister.   

 On Sunday April 1, by-elections were held in three constituencies.