Text of report by the Tajik news agency Asia-Plus on 21st January

On 20th January, the Central Electoral and Referendum Commission (CERC)
completed the registration of candidates to the lower chamber of the
parliament of Tajikistan, who had been nominated by party lists, the head
of the commission's press centre, Abdurahmon Abdumanonov, told journalists
on 21st January.

Six political parties submitted their election lists to the commission,
which included 22 candidates [from each party], earlier. However, due to
the fact that the necessary documents on some candidates had not been
submitted to the commission on time, none of these parties managed to
register all their candidates at the Central Electoral and Referendum
Commission.

Abdurahmon Abdumanonov said the People's Democratic Party [of
Tajikistan] will have the maximum number of candidates on party lists in
the upcoming elections - 21 candidates, the Communist Party [of Tajikistan]
- 20, the Democratic Party [of Tajikistan] - 19 and the Socialist Party [of
Tajikistan] - 18. Fifteen candidates from the Islamic Rebirth Party of
Tajikistan and the Party of Justice will take part in the upcoming
elections on party lists. The parties that registered a minimum number of
their representatives, did not appeal against the commission's decision.
In an interview to the Asia-Plus news agency, a representative of the
Islamic Rebirth Party of Tajikistan, Muhammad Haitov, noted that the
documents of some candidates from remote districts had indeed been received
late, and therefore the party's leadership had agreed with the commission's
decision.

Azam Afzali, who had been nominated by the Party of Justice, told athe
Asia-Plus news agency that this party had submitted a list of only 16
contenders to the Central Electoral and Referendum Commission. Judging from
appearances, this party will not be making any complaints about the
commission's latest decision either.

Source: Asia-Plus news agency, Dushanbe, in Russian 0826 gmt 21 Jan 00
BBC Mon CAU 220100/** GAR/SK