Issues of improving the legal framework for organising the election of chairpersons of citizens' assemblies

Аннотация

It is necessary to make changes and additions to the law concerning the election of the Chairman of the Citizens' Assembly. It is necessary to supplement the principles of the organisation and conduct of elections with new principles, to improve the powers of the mediation commissions and working groups, to clarify the representation of citizens and their number, as well as election campaign issues. Keywords: Election, working groups, chairman of the citizens' assembly, constitution. statehood, Article 99 of the Constitution of the Introduction: Today, the mahalla is a unique structure, Republic of Karakalpakstan established the citizens' unparalleled in the world, that teaches people to live in assemblies in villages, auls, their constituent mahallas harmony with society, promotes tolerance and and city mahallas as territorial units of self- solidarity, and serves as a reliable bridge between the government. More than a hundred normative and legal people and the state. The mahalla plays an important acts reflect the participation of local authorities in role in the life of the state and society, not only as a certain spheres of public life. participant or implementer in improving the lives of the people, but also as a decision-making centre. Considering that the comprehensive improvement of the activities of the citizens' self-governing bodies is the The New Development Strategy for Uzbekistan main way of implementing direct democracy, the role emphasises: 'It is necessary to increase the role and and effectiveness of the mahalla's activities in effectiveness of the mahalla activity in public collective governance will be gradually improved and it administration, transforming it into an independent, will be transformed into a free, strong and effective civil strong and effective civil institution providing practical institution that provides practical assistance to the assistance to the population' [1, 97]. population. Uzbekistan's New Development Strategy for 2022-2026 In the last seven years alone, the laws of the Republic sets out the tasks of developing the mahalla system of Karakalpakstan on citizens' self-governing bodies (in through the introduction of an 'active' mahalla model a new version) and on the election of the chairman and modern mechanisms for interaction between the (aksakal) of citizens' assemblies, as well as some 100 representative organs of state power, the executive normative and legal acts relating to the activities of authorities and voluntary organisations as part of the mahallas and their social structures, have been work of the mahallabai. adopted and introduced into public life. Citizens' self-government bodies are an integral part of The basic requirement for self-government is the right the strategy for building the new Uzbekistan and are of local people to form governing bodies and to closely linked to the development of a free civil society. manage local affairs directly or through their elected The main purpose of the definition that the sole source representatives. of state power is the people (Article 7), as set out in the Constitution of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, is to In the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the system of establish a system of citizens' self-government bodies. electing the Chairman of the House of Peoples has a legal basis at the constitutional level. Article 99 of the For the first time in the history of our national International Journal of Law And Criminology 51 https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijlc International Journal of Law And Criminology (ISSN: 2771-2214) Constitution of the Republic of Karakalpakstan states: Chairman of the Mahalla is done by a meeting of the Citizens' assemblies in settlements, kishlaks and auls, citizens: and in the mahallas of towns, villages and auls, which First, it ensures the realisation of the constitutional elect a chairman, are self-governing bodies. The right of all citizens of a given territory who are eligible procedure for election, the organisation of activities to vote; and the scope of powers of citizens' self-government Secondly, it increases the activity of the inhabitants of bodies shall be determined by law' [2, 48]. the territory in the management of state and public The organisation and conduct of the election of the affairs; Chairman of the House of Citizens is regulated by the Thirdly, it provides an opportunity to elect an Law of the Republic of Karakalpakstan "On Election of experienced person who fully meets the legal the Chairman of the House of Citizens" [3], adopted on requirements for the head of the mahalla and the 27 March 2019. requirements for candidates for the head of the local According to this law, elections are held on the basis of council. This in turn leads to the full realisation of the principles of publicity, alternatives and equal democratic principles. suffrage. The process of preparing and holding Of course, the question may arise: wouldn't it be better elections is widely