History of the Central Election Commission of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic

....The modern electoral system in Nakhchivan was formed as a result of the process of democratic development in society and the multi-year development of key government institutions. Many factors played a role in its formation and improvement. The peculiarities of the political culture of the Nakhchivan population also had a great influence on the formation of the principles and practice of the political system. The three-stage analysis of the period of activity of the Central Election Commission of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (CEC) is as follows: 

....The first stage covers the period 1926-1938. After the Bolsheviks came to power in Azerbaijan in 1920, Nakhchivan Soviet Socialist Republic was established on July 28 of the same year. The Nakhchivan Revolutionary Committee was elected as a supreme body. The Revolutionary Committee declared Nakhchivan as an integral part of Azerbaijan. According to the Moscow and Kars agreements signed in Moscow, it was decided to transfer Nakhchivan to the protection of Azerbaijan on the condition that it would not make concessions to a third state. Starting from March 16, 1921, Nakhchivan was first called the Nakhchivan Soviet Socialist Republic, after June 16, 1923, the land of Nakhchivan, and from February 9, 1924, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR).

....The first Constitution of the republic was adopted at the V All-Nakhchivan Congress of Soviets convened on April 18, 1926 and it was defined that the Central Executive Committee of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was responsible for the entire government, the supreme legislative body - the Soviets of Workers', Peasants' and Soldiers' Deputies. Such a system of government was aimed at adapting it to the Soviets established in the center and provinces of Russia after the bourgeois-democratic revolution of February 1917. These Soviets became the organizations of the revolutionary democratic dictatorship of the proletariat and the peasantry in Russia. The soviets of the united workers’, soldiers’ and peasants’ deputies came out, and after the October 1917 revolution, all power in the country passed to the soviets of the united workers’, soldiers’ and peasants’ deputies.

....The Republic of the Soviet became the state form of the dictatorship of the proletariat, the socialist state form. The soviets of workers' and soldiers' deputies became authorities in the cities, and the soviets of peasants’ deputies in the villages. Thus, after the adoption of the Decree on the establishment of the workers' and peasants' red army in 1918, the Soviets were renamed the soviets of workers', peasants' and golden soldiers' deputies. At the same time, the USSR Constitution of 1924 established the All-Union Congress of Soviets (and in the inter-congress period, the Central Executive Committee of the USSR) as the supreme state authority. In the allied and autonomous republics, the supreme state authorities became the congresses of the relevant soviets (the Central Executive Committees) and the local authorities were the congresses of the country, province, area, region and volost (Executive Committees).

....After the establishment of Soviet authorities in Azerbaijan, as in Russia, the supreme legislative body - the Central Executive Committee, to which the Soviets of Workers', Peasants' and Soldiers' Deputies report, began to function. In 1921-1938, the Central Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR provided general guidance to the activities of the workers 'and peasants' government and all state bodies in the republic issued decrees and decisions, approved general norms in political and public life, and the republic's budget.

....The Central Election Commission of Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) was established in accordance with the Order of the Central Executive Committee of Azerbaijan SSR dated November 27, 1926 and the Decision of Nakhchivan Central Executive Committee dated December 5, 1926. The Central Election Commission was established with 11 members, consisting mainly of representatives of the Bolshevik Party, trade unions, the Komsomol, the workers’ organizations and national minorities.

....As for the activities of the Central Election Commission at that time, the newly formed Central Election Commission, which had no experience at that time, elected the representatives to the soviets of workers', peasants' and soldiers', conferences and congresses of the Central Executive Committee, and to the soviets of village, settlement, district and province in the places, and also to the meetings and conferences in a very simple way. Precinct election commissions were not established at that time. This work was carried out by village, settlement and district election commissions established under the Central Election Commission. The Central Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR suspended its activities on March 14, 1937 related to the adoption of the II Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR at the IX All-Azerbaijan Congress of Soviets and the election of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR on its basis.

....The Central Executive Committee of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic also functioned until 1938. With regard to the adoption of the second Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR and the suspension of the Central Executive Committee, the Central Executive Committee of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic also ceased its activities and the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was established.

....The second stage covers the years 1938-1991. The USSR Constitution, approved by the VIII Congress of Soviets on December 5, 1936, established a new system of central and local authorities, and replaced the soviets of deputies of the villagers and golden soldiers with the soviets of industrious workers' deputies, and the Central Executive Committees of the USSR with the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Accordingly, in the allied republics of the USSR, the Central Executive Committees were replaced by the Supreme Soviets. The first elections to the Supreme Soviets were held in 1937 to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and in 1938 to the allied republics. During our stay in the USSR, 12 calling parliamentary elections were held to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR and the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR was the supreme power and the only legislative body of the USSR, elected by secret ballot on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage for 4 years ( for 5 years after the IX calling election in 1974).

....Every citizen of the USSR, who had reached the age of 21 and exercised his right to vote, could be elected a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR had the following rights:

....- adoption of the USSR Constitution, making changes and additions to it; admission of new republics to the USSR, approval of the organization of new autonomous republics and autonomous regions; approval of the economic and social development plans of the USSR, the state budget of the USSR and reports on its implementation; organization of the bodies of the allied republic to report to it and resolution of issues in accordance with other legislation; election of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR; organization of the Council of Ministers of the USSR; election of the Supreme Court of the USSR and appointment of the Prosecutor General of the USSR.

....The Supreme Soviet of the USSR consisted of two equal chambers - the Soviet of the Union and the Soviets of Nations. Workers, collective farmers, representatives of the Soviet intelligentsia, cultural and educational workers, state and party figures were elected to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The local soviets were called the Soviets of Industrious Workers' Deputies until October 1977, and the Soviets of People's Deputies until the collapse of the USSR under the new Constitution adopted in 1977. The people implemented the state power through the Soviets of People's Deputies, the political foundation of the USSR. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Supreme Soviets of the allied and autonomous republics were elected for a term of 5 years, and local soviets for a term of 2.5 years.

....The Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR was the highest and only legislative body of state power in the Azerbaijan SSR. The Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR was elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by single - chamber, secret ballot for a term of 4 years with one deputy from every 12,500 population ( for 5 years from 1975 to). Every citizen who had reached the age of 21 and had the right to vote could be elected a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR. The Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR elected the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR, formed the Cabinet of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR and elected the Supreme Court of the Azerbaijan SSR. These bodies were responsible for the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan USSR and reported to it. The main activity form of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR was the sessions. The Sessions were convened by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet twice a year. At the first session of each new calling, the chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR, his four deputies, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet and the permanent commissions were elected. 1648877 voters were registered in the elections to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the first calling in Azerbaijan, 95.6% of them took part in the voting. In these elections, Azerbaijan, as one of the 11 allied republics, was seventh in terms of the number of voters. 37 Azerbaijanis were elected to the Supreme Soviet, which was the largest delegation from the Caucasus republics (33 Georgians, 30 Armenians). Among the Russians elected from 54 nations, the Ukrainians and Azerbaijanis were the most numerous after the Russians (146 people).

....From the deputies elected to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic for the first time, the prominent statesman Aziz Aliyev, the other prominent composer Uzeyir Hajibayov, the famous oilman Aganematulla and the others represented the interests of Nakhchivan in the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The electoral system had a lot of shortcomings in spite of the humanistic features in the Soviet Union for 70 years. At that time, permanent election commissions were not established. The commissions were established on the eve of the elections, and the Election Law was adopted, which reflected the activities of these commissions and the main conditions for conducting the elections.

....The commission were dissolved after the elections. First of all, the communist ideology based on the training of Marxism-Leninism did not fully meet the conditions required for free, democratic elections because it did not fully express the will of the peoples at all . All elections, both the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Soviets of the Azerbaijan SSR and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, were held from beginning to end under the direct strict control and leadership of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Each nominated candidate was identified by the party bodies, and the deputies themselves, their close relatives and neighbourings were carefully studied by the security agencies and informed to the higher party bodies after getting a positive opinion. The candidate was then received by the officials of all the party organizations to which he was subordinated, instructed and dismissed, and given a position that no one should know about it. The constituency and precinct election commissions were formed three months before the elections. The chairmen of the commissions were usually members of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union working in the fields of production, the deputies were secretaries of the Party Organization, and the members were representatives of public organizations that were members of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In order to reflect the warm attitude of the electorate towards the Soviet system on election day, the voter turnout should not be less than 95% and the candidate's vote should not be less than 99%, either. The elections under the full control of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the candidates, commission members and observers nominated in those elections functioned under the supervision of a party officials in charge of that election body. At the beginning and end of the elections, the anthem of the USSR was played, and two minors (in pioneer ties) lined up near the ballot box on Election Day to greet the voters. But at the same time, there were such worthy representatives of the people and heroes of labor, about whom films were made, novels and short stories were written and songs were composed.

....Bahar Talibova, one of the labor heroes and a prominent cotton master, "Hero of Socialist Labor”, "Lenin" and "October Revolution", one of the most popular orders of that time, awarded the "Red Labor Flag", was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the V-VIII callings of the USSR, the Supreme Soviet of the IX-XI callings of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and served as a worthy representative of the people in the Supreme authorities continuously for 27 years.

....A song named after Neftchi Gurban was composed among such deputies from the labor heroes elected from the USSR. "Hero of Socialist Labor" Gurban Abbasov, "Hero of Socialist Labor" and a vine-growing brigadier Ali Aliyev, a welder Zakir Nasirov, a seamstress Tovuz Khudayarova, a brigadier Isa Aliyev, "People's Artist of the USSR" Tahir Salahov, "Hero of Socialist Labor" and "People's Artist of the USSR" Rashid Behbudov, a religious leader Allahshukur Pashazade and dozens of such people can be cited as examples. While we were part of the USSR, 12 calling elections were held from 1937 to 1990. During these years, 13 deputies from 13 constituencies from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 12-18 deputies from 12-18 constituencies to the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR respectively were elected. In addition, 66 people were elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the IV calling, 71 people in the VI calling, 80 people in the VII-VIII callings, 100 people in the IX calling, and 110 people in the X-XII callings.

....The National Leader Haydar Aliyev was also repeatedly elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the RSFSR and the Supreme Soviets of the Azerbaijan SSR from Nakhchivan. He was first elected to the Soviet of Nakhchivan City in 1949, at the age of 26, to the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1967, and to the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1990. When he was nominated to the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, he said at a meeting with voters:

...."I have been to many places these days and expressed my views. The people of Nehram village nominated me as a candidate for the People's Deputy of the Azerbaijan SSR, and the staff of the Nakhchivan Lower Knitwear Factory nominated me as a candidate for the People's Deputy of the Nakhchivan SSR. I sincerely thank them, as well as all the residents of Nakhchivan. I must also say that before that I was repeatedly a member of the Supreme Soviets of the USSR, the RSFSR and the Azerbaijani SSR. When I was in Nakhchivan, I was elected to the Soviet of Nakhchivan City. This is the first time I have been nominated as a candidate for the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. This is more honorable for me than the previous deputies". In the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, 12 constituencies were established for the elections to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 11 people were elected to the Soviet of Nations and 1 to the Soviet of the Union. The elections of the first calling to the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR were held in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1938, 13 constituencies were established, and 13 deputies were elected. Two of the elected deputies were Russian, two were Armenian, nine were Azerbaijani, one of them was awarded with the order of “Lenin”, one with the order of the “Badge of Honor”, one with the order of the “Red Banner of Labor”, six had higher education, three were workers and collective farmers. There was only a woman deputy among them. After the adoption of the first Constitution of the Nakhchivan ASSR, the supreme state authority of the Nakhchivan ASSR was a single – chamber Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR elected for a term of 4 years (from 1975 to 5 years). The Nakhchivan ASSR was represented by 11 deputies in the Soviets of Nations of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The local government bodies were city, district, settlement, and village soviets of Industrious Workers' Deputies elected by the population for a term of 2.5 years (Soviets of People's Deputies since 1977). The Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR formed the Cabinet of Ministers of the Nakhchivan ASSR and elected the Supreme Court of the Nakhchivan ASSR for a term of 5 years. The 1st calling elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR were held in 1938. 66 deputies were elected from 66 constituencies established in the NakhchivanASSR. According to their national origin, 2 deputies were Russians, 8 Armenians, 56 Azerbaijanis, one of them was a Hero of Socialist Labor, two were awarded the Badge of Honor, two with the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, one with the Order of Lenin, 34 were workers and collective farmers, and 15 were women.

....By the election territories:

....Nakhchivan city - 7 people, Nakhchivan region - 14 people, Norashen region - 19 people, Shahbuz region - 6 people, Abragunis region - 5 people, Ordubad region - 12 people, Julfa region - 3 people. During both rounds of the elections, there were no plans to register the voters’ lists across the country, as it is currently the case.  Due to the simple ways of the elections in that period, the voters also came to the polling station on Election Day on the invitation of the responsible officials in the villages, settlements or districts. After 1938, the elections were based on lists submitted by representatives of villages, settlements or housing departments.

....Finally, the third stage covers the period of independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 1991 to the present day. For the first time during independence, the Central Election Commission was established by the decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on December 24, 1991, signed by the national leader Haydar Aliyev, to hold elections of people's deputies of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. According to this decision, the Central Election Commission is composed of 11 members, from which the chairman, two deputies and one secretary of the Central Election Commission were elected at the first meeting. In 1995, the Central Election Commission with the 15 members was established to conduct the 1st calling elections to the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. At that time, the rules for the establishment and activity of the election commissions were regulated by the Law “on elections to the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic”.

....The Central Election Commission, which organized the preparation and conduct of elections in the autonomous Republic in 1998-2000, consisted of 13 members, and since 2000, the CEC has been organized by the Supreme Assembly consisting of 7 neutral members from among the candidates nominated by the Supreme Official of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and has been functioning for 5 year term. During this 20-year period, our country has implemented the major reforms in the field of both suffrage and electoral practice. 6 calling elections to the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic were held during this period. The drafting of legislation regulating the holding of free and fair elections for our country, which has just emerged from the totalitarian regime, as well as the fact that these elections are reflected in practice, required great efforts from the country's leadership. From this point of view, every election was a step forward in improving the election practice, and now we can say with full responsibility that our country is able to hold free and fair elections that meet the common interests of all citizens.

....An important fact that confirms this issue is the election legislation of our country. Until 2003, there were various legislative acts regulating the presidential elections, parliamentary and municipal elections of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the activities of the Central Election Commission. In 2003, on the initiative of the national leader Haydar Aliyev, a single legislative act - the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan - was prepared and adopted in order to prevent this disorder in our election legislation and to determine the general principles and rules of election preparation. The initiative was hailed as a positive step both domestically and internationally by experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, as well as the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe. As a follow-up, on the eve of the 2005 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev signed two decrees on improving election practice, in which the country's leadership expressed interest in holding free and fair elections, putting forward a number of new ideas for the preparation and conduct of elections.

....These innovations include the invisible ink marking of fingers used in the election process in all modern states, exit polls in polling stations, or the installation of surveillance cameras. Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has not been far behind in these processes in our country. Before the the 3rd calling elections to the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in 2005, the election law that fully reflected the principles defined by the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the initiative of the Chairman of the Supreme Assembly - the Law of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic “on elections to the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic” was prepared and adopted and from that period onwards , the elections to the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the 3rd and 4th callings in 2005 and 2010, as well as the 4th calling by-elections on October 2, 2011, 5th and 6th callings in 2015 and 2020 were held on the basis of this Law. Thus, 6 constituency election commissions permanently functioning in the territory of the autonomous republic were provided with new administrative buildings meeting all modern requirements, all inventory and equipment required for their activities, and information technology means, and polling stations were located in newly built buildings in the autonomous republic and provided with the necessary technical and economic means, too.

....In general, our country among the other republics that gained independence from the former Soviet Union, is at the forefront of improving the electoral system, transparency and the applying of democratic values. In all the elections held so far, the citizens of the autonomous republic have shown how strong their will for democratic choice is by voting openly, fairly and freely for the candidate of theirs. All elections held in a completely transparent, free and fair environment have always demonstrated the commitment of our autonomous republic to civil and democratic values, the growing electoral culture in our country, and most importantly, the growing confidence of citizens in the elections.The Central Election Commission of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has constantly increased its efforts to achieve this, especially during the 30 years of independence, and will continue to do its best to maintain the positive image of our country.