The polling stations opened at 8.00 a.m. local time on Sunday in Uzbekistan, where people are electing the new president.

Five candidates run in the elections, including Narzulla Oblomuradov, Bahrom Abduhalimov, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Alisher Kadirov.

This has been the sixth presidential election held in the independent republic.

The previous presidential election was held in 2016, following the death of incumbent President Islam Karimov on 2 September of that year. The Constitution mandated that the election be held within three months of Karimov's death. Acting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev won the elections with 90% of the vote.

Incumbent president Mirziyoyev is widely expected to win (officially) by a large margin. Two prominent opposition figures have declared their intention to run against Mirziyoyev, but the authorities have repeatedly refused registration of the candidate's parties and one of these candidates, celebrity singer Jahongir Otajonov, has since withdrawn from running due to apparent political intimidation. (ILKHA)