The Kazakh Constitutional Council failed to overcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s vetoing the ban for parliamentary polls in Janaozen, RIA Novosti reports.
Janaozen had mass disorders in December. The Constitutional Council banned parliamentary elections of January 15 in the region due to the state of emergency. The state of emergency will remain in force until January 31.
Nazarbayev vetoed the ban on Tuesday. The ban had not received enough votes (two thirds) to overcome the veto, as stated in point 4 of article 73 of the Kazakh Constitution, Chairman of the Constitutional Council Igor Rogov said on Wednesday.
Deputy Chairman of the CEC, Vladimir Fo’os, clarified that all polling stations in Janaozen were prepared for elections.
Janaozen had mass disorders on December 16, resulting in 16 people killed and dozens injured. Dozens of buildings and cars were burnt. Kazakh President Nursultant Nazarbayev imposed a state of emergency the next day. The state will last until late January. Curfews are still in force, protests were prohibited, photography, video records and copying were restricted.
The disorders were a result of a month-long strike of oil workers demanding higher wages. The court recognized their demands as unjust.
Off-year parliamentary polls will be held on January 15.
