Approved by Decision # 13/41
of the Central Election Commission
of the Republic of Azerbaijan
dated on July 4, 2005

R e g u l a t i o n
for the Working Group established by relevant Constituency Election Commission to check the accuracy of the information in the signature sheets and other election documents submitted to the Constituency Election Commission for the registration of candidates in Elections to the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan

This Regulation determines the legal status, the responsibilities, activity rules of the Working Group (hereafter referred to as Working Group) established to check the accuracy of the information in the signature sheets and other election documents submitted to the Constituency Election Commission for the registration of the approved candidate.
1. General provisions
1.1. Working Group functions pursuant to Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, normative acts adopted by Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan and decisions by relevant Constituency Election Commissions.
1.2. Working Group shall be established by relevant Constituency Election Commissions to check the accuracy of the information in election documents and signature sheets pursuant to Article # 59.2 of the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
1.3. The Working Group shall include experts of Azerbaijan Scientific-Research and Court Expertise of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology, experts from district departments of Ministries of Finance, Interior Affairs and Tax, specialized organizations for the registration of population – specialists of police offices and departments on ID cards and registration, public utilities, statistics departments within the area.
1.4. The Working Group shall be established by the decision of the Constituency Election Commission pursuant to Article 4.4 of Law “on the approval and enforcement of Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan”.
2. The rule for formation of Working Group
2.1. The composition of the Working Group and its chairperson are elected and dismissed by the decision of the Constituency Election Commission;
2.2. The Working Group is headed by the member having a decisive right of the Constituency Election Commission that created the group;
2.3. The members of the Working Group are assigned upon agreement with heads of relevant state bodies and they implement their activities being temporarily diverted from their permanent working-place still being paid their salaries and other payments.
3. Rights of the Working Group and its chairperson
3.1. The Working Group shall have the following rights:
3.1.1 To require and obtain information from the candidate, authorized representatives of political party, block of political parties, persons collecting signatures, voters on matters within its authority;
3.1.2. To make an appeal to relevant state bodies, municipalities and other bodies on matters related to the implementation of its activities, to request the necessary information and materials on matters within its authority;
3.1.3. To prepare the opinions considered as the basis for confirming the accuracy of the information in the signature sheets and to compile the protocol of the Working Group on checking results of the signature lists of each candidate and submit it to the chairman of the Working Group;
3.1.4. To require necessary equipment and materials for the Working Group to implement their duties pursuant to law;
3.2. During the term of function, members of the Working Group shall get the salary defined by Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan according to the labor contract signed with the Constituency Election Commission;
3.3. The relevant bodies should give official response to the appeals of the Working Group within 3 days, but if there are 75 days left before the election day they should give the official response not later than 1 day;
3.4. Chairman of the Working Group shall have the following rights:
3.4.1. Organizes the work of the Working Group and requires documents by making inquires to the involved organizations with the permission of the Constituency Election Commission. Submits the protocol on the results of checking signature sheets of each approved candidate to the Constituency Election Commission for adopting decision;
3.4.2. Distributes responsibilities among the group members, sets assignments for the involved specialists and control their implementation;
3.4.3. Ensures the cooperative activity of the Working Group with the Constituency Election Commission;
3.4.4. Signs the protocols and other documents on the result of checking;
3.4.5. Makes report on the activity of the Working Group at request of the Constituency Election Commission
4. The responsibilities of the Working Group.
4.1. The experts and specialists included in the Working Group shall check out the information in the signature sheets and give their opinion separately. Opinions of the specialists shall be adopted as the basis for the approval of the accuracy of the information in signature sheets and other election documents. The opinions shall contain reasons for considering voters signatures invalid, as well as the number of the relevant folder and the number of line in the relevant signature sheet.
4.2. The Working Group shall check the accuracy of the information and facts in the election documents and signature sheets submitted to the Working Group and give a relevant opinion about the accuracy of the information. Shall prepare the tabulation about the results of examination by indicating the reasons for consideration of voters’ signatures invalid, the number of relevant folder and the number of line in the relevant signature sheet.
4.3. The chairperson of the Working Group shall compile protocol about the results of checking of the signature sheets of each approved candidate, sign it, attach examination tabulation and the opinions of experts and specialists to this protocol and introduce to the Constituency Election Commission for adopting relevant decision. The number of signatures considered invalid should be recorded in protocol by indicating the reasons for such consideration. The copy of the protocol should be delivered to the candidate, authorized representatives of political party, block of political party at least 24 hours before the beginning of the session of the Constituency Election Commission that includes the issue of registration of the candidate in the agenda.
5. Final provisions
5.1. If there are not any complaints, then the term of office of the Working Group shall end 60 days prior to the Election Day, in the case of complaints, after the investigation of the complaints by higher election commissions and the relevant courts.
5.2. The amendments and Appendices to this Regulation can be made by the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan.