History of the Central Election Commission of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic

The modern electoral system in Nakhchivan was formed as a result of the long-term development of democratic processes and primary government institutions within society. Numerous factors have played a role in its emergence and improvement. The specific features of the political culture of Nakhchivan’s population have also significantly influenced the formation of the principles and operational practices of the political system.

The period of activity of the Central Election Commission of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic can be examined in three stages.

The first stage covers the years 1926-1938. Following the rise of the Bolsheviks to power in Azerbaijan in 1920, the Nakhchivan Soviet Socialist Republic was established on July 28. The Nakhchivan Revolutionary Committee was elected as the supreme body. The Revolutionary Committee declared Nakhchivan an integral part of Azerbaijan. According to the Treaties of Moscow and Kars, it was decided that Nakhchivan would be placed under the protection of Azerbaijan, provided it was not ceded to a third state. Starting from March 16, 1921, the territory was initially named the Nakhchivan Soviet Socialist Republic, then the Nakhchivan Region after June 16, 1923, and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic from February 9, 1924. At the 5th All-Nakhchivan Congress of Soviets convened on April 18, 1926, the republic's first Constitution was adopted, establishing that all power rested with the supreme legislative body—the Central Executive Committee of the Nakhchivan ASSR, to which the soviets of workers, peasants, and soldiers’ deputies reported. This administrative system aimed to align with the soviets established in the center and provinces of Russia after the February bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1917. These soviets had become organs of the revolutionary democratic dictatorship of the proletariat and peasantry in Russia. Joint soviets of workers, soldiers, and peasants emerged, and after the October Revolution of 1917, all power in the country passed to these soviets. The Republic of Soviets became the state form of the dictatorship of the proletariat, a socialist state form. Soviets of workers and soldiers’ deputies became the authority in cities, while soviets of peasants’ deputies took power in rural areas. Thus, after the Decree on the establishment of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army in 1918, the soviets were named the soviets of workers, peasants, and Red Army deputies. Simultaneously, the 1924 USSR Constitution established the All-Union Congress of Soviets (and the USSR Central Executive Committee during inter-congress periods) as the supreme organ of state power. In the union and autonomous republics, the supreme organs of state power were the respective congresses of soviets (Central Executive Committees), while local authorities consisted of congresses of soviets for territories, provinces, regions, districts, and volosts (Executive Committees).

Following the establishment of Soviet power in Azerbaijan, as in Russia, the Central Executive Committee began its operations as the supreme legislative body to which the soviets of workers, peasants, and soldiers’ deputies reported. Between 1921 and 1938, the Central Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR exercised general leadership over the workers' and peasants' government and all state bodies, issued decrees and resolutions, and approved general norms for political and social life, as well as the republic's budget.

The Central Election Commission of the Nakhchivan ASSR was established based on the Order of the Central Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR dated November 27, 1926, and the Resolution of the Central Executive Committee of Nakhchivan dated December 5, 1926. The Central Election Commission consisted of 11 members, primarily representatives of the Bolshevik Party, trade unions, Komsomol organizations, workers' organizations, and national minorities.

Regarding the activities of the Central Election Commission at that time, as a newly formed body with no prior experience, it conducted the election of representatives to the soviets of workers, peasants, and soldiers, to the conferences and congresses of the Central Executive Committee, and locally to the village, settlement, district, and regional soviets through a very simplified method. At that period, precinct election commissions were not established; these tasks were performed by village, settlement, and district election commissions created under the Central Election Commission.

The Central Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR ceased its activities following the adoption of the second Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR at the 9th All-Azerbaijan Congress of Soviets on March 14, 1937, and the subsequent election of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR.

The Central Executive Committee of the Nakhchivan ASSR also operated until 1938. Following the adoption of the second Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR, which terminated the Central Executive Committee and established the Supreme Soviet, the Central Executive Committee of the Nakhchivan ASSR likewise ceased its activities, and the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR was established.

The second stage covers the years 1938-1991. The USSR Constitution, approved at the 8th Congress of Soviets on December 5, 1936, established a new system of central and local government bodies, replacing the soviets of workers, peasants, and Red Army deputies with the Soviets of Working People’s Deputies, and the Central Executive Committees with the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

Accordingly, the Central Executive Committees in the union republics were replaced by Supreme Soviets. The first elections to the Supreme Soviets were held for the USSR in 1937 and for the union republics in 1938. During the period within the USSR, 12 convocations of elections were held for the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR, and the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR.

The Supreme Soviet of the USSR was the supreme organ of state power and the sole legislative body of the USSR, elected for a 4-year term (5 years after the 9th convocation in 1974) based on universal, equal, and direct suffrage by secret ballot. Every citizen of the USSR who reached the age of 21 and enjoyed the right to vote could be elected as a deputy. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR held the following powers: adopting the USSR Constitution and making amendments and additions to it; admitting new republics into the USSR and confirming the formation of new autonomous republics and autonomous regions; approving USSR economic and social development plans, the state budget, and reports on its execution; establishing union republic bodies accountable to it; electing the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, forming the Council of Ministers of the USSR, electing the Supreme Court of the USSR, and appointing the Prosecutor General of the USSR.

The Supreme Soviet of the USSR consisted of two equal chambers: the Soviet of the Union and the Soviet of Nationalities. Workers, collective farmers, representatives of the Soviet intelligentsia, cultural and educational workers, and state and party figures were elected to the Supreme Soviet.

Until October 1977, local soviets were called Soviets of Working People’s Deputies; according to the new Constitution adopted in 1977, they were renamed Soviets of People’s Deputies until the dissolution of the USSR.

The people exercised state power through the Soviets of People’s Deputies, which constituted the political foundation of the USSR. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Soviets of the union and autonomous republics were elected for 5 years, while local soviets were elected for 2.5 years.

The Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR was the supreme and sole legislative body of state power in the Azerbaijan SSR. It was a unicameral body elected for a 4-year term (5 years starting from 1975) based on universal, equal, and direct suffrage by secret ballot, at a rate of one deputy per 12,500 people. Every citizen aged 21 with the right to vote could be elected. The Supreme Soviet elected its Presidium, formed the Council of Ministers, and elected the Supreme Court of the Azerbaijan SSR. These bodies were responsible and accountable to the Supreme Soviet.

The primary form of activity for the Supreme Soviet was its sessions, convened twice a year by the Presidium. At the first session of each new convocation, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, four deputies, the Presidium, and standing commissions were elected.

In the elections for the first convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in Azerbaijan, 1,648,877 voters were registered, with a 95.6% turnout. Azerbaijan ranked seventh among the 11 union republics in terms of voter numbers. Thirty-seven Azerbaijanis were elected to the Supreme Soviet, which was the largest delegation from the Caucasian republics (Georgians 33, Armenians 30). Among deputies from 54 nationalities, Azerbaijanis and Ukrainians were the most numerous after Russians (146 people).

Among the first deputies elected from the Nakhchivan ASSR to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were the prominent statesman Aziz Mammadkerim oghlu Aliyev, the renowned composer Uzeyir Abdulhuseyn oghlu Hajibeyov, the famous oil worker Aghanematulla, and others who represented the interests of Nakhchivan. While the electoral system during the 70 years within the Soviet Union possessed some humanitarian features, it was not without flaws. During those periods, permanent Election Commissions were not established. Commissions were created on the eve of elections, and an Election Law was adopted reflecting the commissions' operational directions and the primary conditions for the elections. After the elections, the commissions were disbanded. Primarily, because the communist ideology formed on Marxist-Leninist teachings did not fully express the will of the people, it did not meet the conditions required for holding free and democratic elections. All elections, whether for the Supreme Soviet of the USSR or the Supreme Soviets of the Azerbaijan SSR and Nakhchivan ASSR, were conducted from start to finish under the direct and strict control and leadership of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). Every candidate presented was determined by party organs; the candidates themselves, their close relatives, and their circles were strictly scrutinized by security agencies, and only after receiving a positive opinion was the information passed to higher party bodies. Subsequently, the candidate would be received and instructed by the leaders of all subordinate party organizations and ordered as a duty that no one should know about this process.

Three months before the elections, district and precinct election commissions were formed. Commission chairmen were usually CPSU members working in production sectors, deputies were Party Organization secretaries, and members were representatives of public organizations who were CPSU members.

On election day, to reflect the voters' warm attitude toward the Soviet system, voter turnout could not be below 95%, and the votes gathered by a candidate could not be below 99%. Elections under the full control of the CPSU, including candidates, commission members, and observers, operated under the supervision of the party functionary responsible for that electoral body. The USSR anthem would be played at the start and end of the elections, and throughout the day, two young children (wearing pioneer scarves) would stand guard by the ballot box, greeting voters in the manner of that era.

However, alongside this, there were many worthy representatives of the people, labor heroes about whom films were made, novels and stories written, and songs composed. Examples of such labor hero deputies from the ASSR include Qurban Abbasov (known as "Oilman Qurban," for whom a song was composed and who was a "Hero of Socialist Labor"), the prominent cotton master Bahar Talibova (Hero of Socialist Labor, recipient of the Order of Lenin, October Revolution, and Red Banner of Labor), vineyard brigadier Ali Aliyev (Hero of Socialist Labor), welder Zakir Nasirov, seamstress Tovuz Khudayarova, brigadier Isa Aliyev, USSR People's Artist Tahir Salahov, Rashid Behbudov (Hero of Socialist Labor and USSR People's Artist), religious leader Allahshukur Pashazade, and dozens of others.

During the period within the USSR, 12 convocations of elections were held from 1937 until 1990. During these years, 13 deputies were elected from 13 electoral districts from the Nakhchivan ASSR to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR; 12-18 deputies from 12-18 electoral districts were elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR. For the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR, 66 people were elected in the 1st-5th convocations, 71 in the 6th, 80 in the 7th-8th, 100 in the 9th, and 110 in the 10th-12th convocations.

The National Leader and great personality Heydar Aliyev was also repeatedly elected as a deputy from Nakhchivan to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the RSFSR, and the Azerbaijan SSR. He was first elected to the Nakhchivan City Soviet 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 ASSR in 1990. When nominated for the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR, he stated during a meeting with voters: "In these days, I have been to many places and expressed my thoughts. The people of Nehram village nominated me for the people’s deputy of the Azerbaijan SSR, and the collective of the Nakhchivan Underwear Factory nominated me for the people’s deputy of the Nakhchivan ASSR. I sincerely thank them, as well as all residents of Nakhchivan. I should also mention that prior to this, I was repeatedly a deputy of the Supreme Soviets of the USSR, the RSFSR, and the Azerbaijan SSR. While in Nakhchivan in the past, I was elected to the Nakhchivan City Soviet. This is the first time I am being nominated for the Nakhchivan ASSR people’s deputy. For me, this is more honorable than previous memberships."

Twelve electoral districts were established in the Nakhchivan ASSR for elections to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, with 11 deputies elected to the Soviet of Nationalities and 1 to the Soviet of the Union. All deputies elected in the first election were Azerbaijanis.

The first convocation elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR in the Nakhchivan ASSR were held in 1938, with 13 electoral districts established and 13 deputies elected. Among them, 2 were Russian, 2 were Armenian, and 9 were Azerbaijani. Of these, 1 held the Order of Lenin, 1 the Order of the Badge of Honor, 1 the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, 6 had higher education, 3 were workers or collective farmers, 7 were members of the CPSU, and 1 was a woman.

Following the adoption of the first Constitution of the Nakhchivan ASSR, the supreme organ of state power in the Nakhchivan ASSR within the Azerbaijan SSR was the unicameral Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR, elected for a 4-year term (5 years starting from 1975). The Nakhchivan ASSR was represented by 11 deputies in the Soviet of Nationalities of the USSR Supreme Soviet. Local state power organs were the soviets of working people’s deputies for cities, regions, settlements, and villages, elected by the population for 2.5 years (renamed Soviets of People’s Deputies from 1977). The Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR formed the Council of Ministers and elected the Supreme Court of the Nakhchivan ASSR for a 5-year term.

The first convocation elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Nakhchivan ASSR were held in 1938. Sixty-six deputies were elected from 66 electoral districts. By nationality, 2 were Russian, 8 were Armenian, and 56 were Azerbaijani. Among them, 1 was a Hero of Socialist Labor, 2 held the Order of the Badge of Honor, 2 the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, 1 the Order of Lenin, 42 were members of the CPSU, 34 were workers or collective farmers, and 15 were women. By electoral territories: Nakhchivan City – 7, Nakhchivan District – 14, Norashen District – 19, Shahbuz District – 6, Abragunis District – 5, Ordubad District – 12, Julfa District – 3.

During both stages, a unified national voter registration system was not envisioned. Since elections were conducted using simple methods, voters attended voting on election day upon invitations from designated responsible persons in villages, settlements, or districts. After 1938, the lists provided by village and settlement representatives or housing maintenance offices were taken as the basis.

Finally, the third stage covers the period of independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 1991 to the present. During the independence era, the Central Election Commission was first established on December 24, 1991, for the purpose of holding elections for the people’s deputies of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, based on a resolution of the Presidium of the Ali Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic signed by National Leader Heydar Aliyev. According to that resolution, the Central Election Commission consisted of 11 members, from whom the chairman, two deputy chairmen, and one secretary were elected at the first meeting.

In 1995, a Central Election Commission consisting of 15 members was established for the first convocation elections to the Ali Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. At that time, the rules for the establishment and operation of election commissions were regulated by the Law "On Elections to the Ali Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic." Between 1998 and 2000, the Central Election Commission organizing elections in the autonomous republic consisted of 13 members. Since 2000, it has been composed of 7 non-partisan members elected by the Ali Majlis from candidates proposed by the highest official of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, serving for a 5-year term.

During this 20-year period, significant reforms have been implemented in both the electoral law and electoral practice of our country. Seven convocations of elections to the Ali Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have been held during this time. For a country newly emerged from a totalitarian regime, drafting legislation to regulate free and fair elections and manifesting these in real practice required great effort from the national leadership. In this regard, every election held has been a step forward in perfecting electoral practice. It can now be stated with full responsibility that our country is capable of holding free and fair elections that ensure the common interests of all citizens. A crucial factor confirming this is the country's electoral legislation. Until 2003, various legislative acts regulated presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections, as well as the activities of the Central Election Commission. In 2003, on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan was drafted and adopted as a unified legislative act to eliminate fragmentation and determine general principles and rules for the preparation and conduct of elections. This initiative was praised both domestically and internationally, receiving positive evaluations from experts of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, as well as the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.

Subsequently, on the eve of the 2005 parliamentary elections, President Ilham Aliyev signed two orders regarding the improvement of electoral practice. These orders introduced several new ideas, expressing the leadership's interest in holding free and fair elections. Among these innovations are the marking of fingers with invisible ink, the conduct of exit polls, and the installation of surveillance cameras at polling stations—all applied in the electoral processes of modern states.

The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic did not remain behind these processes. Before the 2005 third convocation elections to the Ali Majlis, the Law of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic "On Elections to the Ali Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic" was adopted on the initiative of the Chairman of the Ali Majlis, fully reflecting the principles established by the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Following its adoption, elections to the third and fourth convocations in 2005 and 2010, the supplementary elections to the fourth convocation on October 2, 2011, the elections to the fifth and sixth convocations in 2015 and 2020, and subsequently, the elections to the seventh convocation in 2024 were held based on this Law.

Overall, among the republics that gained independence after leaving the former Soviet Union, our country is at the forefront of improving the electoral system and implementing transparency and democratic values.

In all elections held to date, the citizens of the autonomous republic have expressed their will by voting openly, fairly, and freely for their preferred candidates, demonstrating the strength of their democratic choice. All elections held in a transparent and fair environment have consistently shown the commitment of our country and autonomous republic to civil and democratic values, the rising electoral culture, and, most importantly, the increasing public trust in elections. The Central Election Commission of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has continuously increased its efforts to achieve this, particularly during our 30 years of independence, and will continue to do its utmost to preserve the positive electoral image of our country.