144 candidates will ballot in the 13 May 2006 by-elections, Trend reports referring to a message by the Secretariat of the Central Elections Committee (CEC) in relation to the re-rerun elections to the Milli Majlis [Parliament] of the 3rd convocation.
CEC confirmed candidacy of 218 people to run for the Milli Majlis. The number of the people taken signature lists comprised 215, while 196 of them returned signature list. Candidacy of 158 was registered. Nevertheless, the number of candidates balloting in the by-elections comprised 144 due to different reasons (candidacy of 2 was cancelled by the Court of Appeals, while 12 withdrew their candidacy).
Most candidates (71) is nonparty, while 20 people did not indicated their party belonging. 20 candidates balloting from New Azerbaijan Party, 12 - Musavat party, 5 - the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Party, 5 - the Azerbaijan National Independence Party, per 3 candidates from Adalat Party, Communist Party and Umid Party. 10 parties are represented by 1 candidate.