Polling to last from 7.00 am to 10.00 pm

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The polling for the elections of citizens’ representatives khurals of soums and city districts are taking place on October 19 between 7.00 to 22.00. In the citizens’ representatives elections of soums, six political parties and a coalition nominated their candidates. The six political parties have nominated candidates to the municipal self-governance. The eligible candidates received their certificates on September 27. The campaign officially launched on October 1. The khurals of citizens’ representatives (councils) are authorized with “the right to discuss and make a decision on any economic, social and organizational matters other than those matters legally defined within the powers of the President, State Great Khural, government, ministry and agency, khurals of higher level and other competent state authorities and officials” under the Articles of 18 & 19, The Law on Territorial and Administrative Units and their Governance (LATUG). LATUG sets out a comprehensive set of functions assigned to aimag, the capital city, soum and district khurals which can be summarized as follows: - Approval, review & evaluation of governor’s activities; - Monitoring and evaluation of governor’s implementation of the legislation and resolutions passed by khural; - Approval and amendment of socio-economic development strategy; - Discuss, approve and amend soum or district budget and approve implementation reports; - Establishment and oversight of local development fund with non-budgetary revenues; - Coordination of local socio-economic development strategy with regional strategy; - Imposition of fees and tariffs within limits of law; - Approve land-use management plans and measures for environmental protection; and - Exercise of local property ownership rights.