In the last polls, in October 2003, 491 men and 15 women candidates, were in the fray. Wilayats or districts with more than 30,000 inhabitants will elect two members, while provinces with fewer people choose one member each.
All nationals aged 21 and above, men and women, are qualified to vote and stand as candidates.
In the 2003 election, the country’s first open ballot, more than 800,000 people were eligible to vote. Some 260,000 people, including nearly 100,000 women, registered for voting, with over 70 per cent actually casting their votes.
