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Ahead of the 26 December 2004 parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in New Delhi organised a Roundtable on 18 November to discuss the experience of some of the experts from India who had visited Tashkent to participate in the international seminars during September - November 2004. This was the first such discussion on the elections organised by the Uzbek Embassy in New Delhi. Prof. S. Sayadaminov, First Secretary, opened the Roundtable with a presentation on the upcoming parliamentary elections. Prof. Sayadaminov told the participants that the Oliy Majlis (Parliament) of Uzbekistan is presently a single chamber body consisting of 250 deputies elected on territorial one-mandatory constituencies on a multiparty basis. In accordance of the constitutional amendment of 27 January 2002, the parliament will henceforth consist of two chambers: Legislative (Lower House) and Senate (Upper House). Elections for the bicameral parliament and local People's Deputies Councils will be held on 26 December 2004. Prof. Sayadaminov stated that campaigning for the elections had started from 20 September 2004 and each electoral districts accounts for an average of about 119, 600 voters. Five political parties have been approved by the Uzbek Election Commission to participate in the elections. They are: People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Adolat (Justice) Party, Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival) democratic party, Fidokorlar, and the Liberal-Democratic Party of Uzbekistan.
Prof. Sayadaminov briefed the participants about the elaborate arrangements undertaken by the Uzbek government to ensure free and fair elections. The Uzbek government has set up a press centre to cover the elections in which representatives of print and electronic media will participate. The Government has also taken several steps to disseminate information about the elections in order to facilitate maximum participation of voters. Prof. Sayadaminov ended his presentation by stating that the main objective of the series of seminars in Uzbekistan and the Roundtable in New Delhi was to learn from the experiences of other countries which have a functioning bicameral parliament, as well as emulate the process of holding transparent elections.
One of the participants, Amar Agarwal of the Indian Institute of Finance, stated that economic development and democracy are taking roots in Uzbekistan. The Uzbek economy in particular was making good progress as inflation had stabilised and the GDP growth rate was positive. Stressing that economic issues were important for political processes, Mr. Agarwal appreciated the steps taken by the Uzbek government towards ensuring free and fair elections. Prof. Nirmala Joshi of Jawaharlal Nehru University stated that the adoption of a bicameral system would broaden the base of democracy in Uzbekistan and involve greater participation. Terming Uzbekistan to be a 'young and evolving' democracy, Prof. Joshi stated that India could assist Uzbekistan in the project of democracy and modernisation. Countering the criticisms often alleged by Western groups, Prof. Joshi stated that given the security situation in Central Asia, only Uzbekistan can decide what system of governance is good for its development.
Indranil Banerjie, Executive Director of SAPRA India Foundation, stated that much of the information and news about Uzbekistan comes through the Western media, which is often sceptical about democracy in Uzbekistan. However, Mr. Banerjie stated that during his visit to Uzbekistan in October 2004, he found that the Uzbek elite wanted democracy and was seriously working towards it. Apart from democracy, the Uzbek elite is also seeking to develop Uzbek nationalism and evolve a national pride. In this direction, Amir Timur is being projected as an Uzbek national symbol. Mr. Banerjie felt that the Uzbek leadership wanted a graduated transition to democracy in a low-key fashion. This was sometimes interpreted by its Western critics as a reluctance to accept democracy.
J.D. Agarwal of the Indian Institute of Finance suggested some precautions to ensure free and fair elections. These included: ensuring greater participation, ensuring security during the polls and counting processes, ensuring transparency by taking stringent measures during printing of ballot papers, sealing of ballot boxes, transporting them to the counting centres and close scrutiny of the counting process. These steps would ensure popular confidence in the electoral process.
Dalbir Singh of the Congress Party stated that compared to India, Uzbekistan has far less problems in holding elections. Given its size and number of voters, Uzbekistan could ensure a safe and transparent elections. Mr. Harsh Narula, a businessman, appreciated the increasing awareness about democracy and congratulated Uzbek president Islam Karimov for taking steps to develop a national pride. In the closing remarks, Dr. Ramakant Dwivedi of the Institute of Defence Studies & Analyses (IDSA) stated that the democratic tradition in Uzbekistan is historical and significant progress has been achieved in the years since it achieved independence. Dr. Dwivedi stated that the Uzbek local community system of Mahallas, women's committee etc. are indications of democratic traditions taking root in the country. Prof. Sayadaminov gave the concluding remarks by thanking the Indian experts for visiting Uzbekistan and taking part in the seminars.
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