A regular sitting of the Central Election Commission /CEC/ presided by Mazahir Panahov took place on July 21.

The commission has approved its June 27, 2003 and June 30, 2003 sittings protocols following the Chairman’s related report.

Afterwards, the commission members discussed the issue of approval/rejection of the candidacy of Ayaz Niyazi oglu Mutallibov nominated for October presidential elections in Azerbaijan by the initiative election group “Khilaskar”. In this connection, the CEC’s secretary Ingilab Nasirov mentioned irrefutable facts of violation of submission procedure that resulted in rejection by the commission of the candidacy of Ayaz Niyazi oglu Mutallibov.

Member of the Election Commission Azer Tagiyev informed the sitting participants on the approval of the “Instruction on the Press Group for Control over Observance of Rules of Conducting Pre-election Campaign in Mass Media under Central Election Commission”. This document has been consequently adopted after discussion.

CEC secretary Vidady Mahmudov reported “On Regulations of the District Election Commission” and “On Regulations of the Divisional Election Commission”. Both documents have been assumed as a basis.

The commission has also decided not to consider re-submissions of the documents by the rejected candidates.

The sitting was attended by representatives of IFES, OSCE Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Bureau, US embassy, and local and foreign mass media.