Failure to announce municipal elections is violation of law - ‘Musavat’

The opposition ‘Musavat’ Party condemned the fact that the authorities delayed the announcement of municipal elections, and demanded to clarify the violation of citizens' rights.

Failure to announce municipal elections within the timeframe as set forth by the Electoral Code was discussed at a meeting of 'Musavat's board on 5 November.

‘The powers of the municipal councils of the current convocation expire on 23 December. According to the Electoral Code, the next municipal elections should have been announced no later than 24 October,’ the Party said in a statement.

‘Musavat’ demanded that the authorities should ‘comply with the law and explain the gross violation of citizens’ electoral rights’.

Mammad Mammadzadeh, head of the Election Observation Alliance, said the law requires the elections to be held in December, but the CEC has not announced the date. According to the Electoral Code, the election date should be announced no later than 60 days before the voting day.

‘The decision on the December elections should have been made in October. Violation of the timing of the electoral process is a violation of the right of citizens to choose and be elected, provided for by Article 56 of the Constitution. It can also be considered a violation of a number of articles of the Electoral Code,’ he said.

Mammadzadeh said the CEC should inform the public about reasons for not holding the elections on time.

The CEC has not yet commented on the criticism about the failure to announce the elections.