The Central Election Committee of Kazakhstan has completed the registration of candidates to the post of president.
Four registered candidates will continue the race: incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev nominated by the Nur Otan party, secretary of the Communist People’s Party Zhambyl Akhmetbekov (nominated by his party), senator Gani Kasymov (nominated by the Party of Patriots that he leads) and environmentalist Mels Yeleusizov (independent).
Seven other contenders who passed the Kazakh language test were not registered as candidates.
An Interfax correspondent reports that the CEC at its Tuesday night session denied registration to Salim Oten, Guldana Tokbayeva, Zhaksybai Bazilbayev and Serik Sapragali. CEC secretary Bakhyt Meldeshov told the session that they either failed to collect the required number of petitions in their support or failed to produce the petitions and documents required for registration to the CEC.
He said the three other independent candidates withdrew from the race.
On March 3 the registered candidates will start campaigning. There will be no campaigning on the eve of polling day.
Each candidate will be assigned 6.294 million tenge from the state budget for the campaign.
The early presidential elections are scheduled for April 3. The president of Kazakhstan is elected by the adult population in general and direct elections for a term of five years.
