Article 69. Equality of Registered Candidates and Referendum Campaign Groups
69.1 All of the registered candidates and campaign groups on referendum shall have equal rights and responsibilities, provided their statuses taken into account.
69.2 Registered candidates, the authorized representatives of campaign groups on referendum working in state bodies and or municipality organizations or in mass media on the legal basis of labor and civil contract shall be released from their employment during the participation in election (referendum) campaign (this rule shall no be applicable to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, deputies of the Milli Majlis and municipality members). The approved copy of the relevant order (statement) shall be is submitted to the election commission who registered them, at the latest within 3 days from the day of registration. They shall be are prohibited to abuse their authorities and service positions of authority to gain benefit or privileges.
69.3 If the persons (except for the members of the Central Election Commission and judges) appointed (approved, selected) directly by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic or Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic become a registered candidate, then they may continue implementation of their service duties. The registered candidates who fulfill their duties working in state positions, the initiators of a campaign groups on referendum, as well as the registered candidates and initiators of establishing of a campaign groups on referendum who are the municipal officials shall be prohibited to abuse their positions of authority to gain privileges.
69.4 Cases of violation of the equality principles with the purposeas a result of getting privileges by abusing occupation the authorities and service position shall be is determined by Article 55.2. of this Code.
69.5 The registered candidate, the initiators of establishing of campaign groups on referendum who occupy state positions, as well as the initiators of establishing of a campaign groups on referendum, which hold municipal positions, shall have the right to conduct pre-election (pre-referendum) campaign, when they are released from the fulfillment of their duties. According to Article 81 of this Code the free usage of TV and radio programs by registered candidates and registered campaign groups on referendum shall are not be regulated by these rules.
69.6 If the officials, journalists working in TV and mass media, or creative persons are registered candidates, the initiators of campaign groups on referendum or the agents, authorized representatives of the registered candidates, political parties, blocks of political parties, campaign groups of on referendum or the authorized representatives of the political party, block of political parties, campaign groups of on referendum, they shall are be prohibited to participate in reporting covering of the elections (referendum) by the means of mass media.
69.7 Observation of limitation specified by in Articles 69.3-69.5 of this Code should not impede deputies of the Milli Majlis and municipal members to perform their authorities and duties before voters.
69.8 The following persons shall are not be permitted to conduct charity activities:
• Registered candidates, political parties and blocks of political parties,
• The relevant agents and authorized representatives of political parties, blocks of political parties and campaign groups on referendum,
• The agents of registered candidates,
• The initiators establishing campaign groups on referendum,
• Organizations, which are founders, owners, members or employees of the abovementioned persons.
• Other physical or legal entities who function due to the instruction of the abovementioned persons or organizations
The aforementioned persons and organizations are shall be prohibited to apply to legal entities and individuals and voters for proposals to render material, financial or other services. The legal and physical entities shall be are prohibited to conduct charity activity in support and on behalf of the candidates, registered candidates, political party, block of political parties, members of campaign group on referendum, their authorized representatives and agents.
69.9 State funds allocated to election funds of registered candidates and referendum campaign groups shall be equally distributed by the Central Election Commission and transferred to the relevant accounts within 3 days. In such case, the equal amounts of the funds shall be separately identified for the referendum campaign groups registered with the Central Election Commission and Constituency Election Commission.

Article 70. Insurance of the Registered Candidate’s Activity.
70.1. The management bodies of the state body (institution, organization) or municipal body (organization), where the candidate is studying, working, serving or commander of military unit where candidate is serving should release the candidate on the basis of unpaid vacation, for the period mentioned in their report, effective from the day of registration of candidate until the day of official announcement of results of elections. The relevant election commission has toshould pay to candidates the average wage in amount of salary that is no more than 20 times of minimum salary determined by legislation, from the budget allocated for the preparation and conduction of election, during his release from employment, study or service. Money compensation is shall be paid to registered candidates on the basis of statement which proves the unpaid leave from their working (studying) or servicing place for the period of his release from employment.
70.2. Transport expenses shall be are paid to registered candidates from the day of registration of candidature until the day of official announcement of results of elections determined by this Code. Expenses spent for taxi and ordered transport services shall are not be reimbursedpaid. Expenditures for travels in cities and inter cities shall are paid be reimbursed on the basis of submitted travel tickets.
70.3. A registered candidate cannot be dismissed from his/her job, service, educational institution upon initiative of the state body (institution, organization) or municipal body (organization), or its high-ranking official, cannot be transferred to another job (to study or to serve) in other place without his agreement or cannot be sent on business trip and cannot be conscripted to military service, military courses of instruction within the period of time mentioned in Article 70.1 of this Code. The participation time of a registered candidate in elections shall be is included in his/her professional service years from the day of registration.
70.4. Within the period of time mentioned in Article 70.1. of this Code, the registered candidate cannot be indicted for a crime, detained or be subject to administrative penalties as may be determined in a court procedure, without the permission of the relevant prosecutor, after he/ she has been registered. The registered candidate can be arrested only if he/she is caught in the act of crime. Shall the relevant prosecutor or court give such kind of permission or make decision, they have immediately to inform the election commission where the candidate has been registered.
70.5. The registered candidate, the political party, the authorized representatives of block of political parties can obtain the list of Precinct Election Commissions, the addresses of voting stations and an information about the territory, address and phone numbers of electoral precincts from the relevant Constituency Election Commission.
70.6 In accordance with the Civil Code of the Azerbaijan Republic, the registered candidate can apply to the court for indemnification of damages incurred him due to actions (lack of actions) of the election commission of either the state body (institution, organization)bodies or municipal body (organization)the election commission.

Article 71. Conditions for Participation of a Registered Candidate in Elections.
71.1. A registered candidate participating in elections has toshould obey the following conditions, along with those indicated in Article 2.6 of this Code:
71.1.1. To respect the rights of other registered candidates to independently and freely distribute their political ideas and opinions during the election campaign;
71.1.2. To respect the rights of other registered candidates, political parties, voters and social organizations;
71.1.3. not to prevent other registered candidates in communicating freely with voters

Article 72. Agents.
72.1. The registered candidate, political party or block of political parties, which have registered the candidate, campaign, group on referendum shall have the right to appoint an agent. The agents shall be are registered by the relevant election commission, which have registered the candidate, campaign group on referendum. The agents are shall be registered within three 3 days from the day of receipt of written application of the candidate or application about the appointment of agents of political party, block of political parties, campaign group on referendum on appointing agents, as well as the written consent of citizens on being an agent. The following information about each agent mustshould be mentioned in presentation or in requisition:
• Surname, name, surname, father’s namepatronymic,
• Date of birth,
• Work place,
• Occupation (type of activity)
• Home address
• Serial, number and issue date of ID or substitute document
The rules, defined in the Articles 52 and 64 of this Code, shall be apply applicable to relevant applications of political parties, blocks of political parties and campaign groups on referendum.
72.2. The agents shall receive a verification card from relevant election commission.
72.3. The agent shall conducts campaign on election of a candidate or on referendum and other kind of activities in assisting for the election of a registered candidate. The agents shall have the observers rights.
72.4. The registered candidates, political parties, blocks of political parties, campaign group on referendum, which appointed the agents, can at any time withdraw these persons they appointed as agents and appoint another persons instead of them by the way of informing relevant election commission. If there is such kind of information, the election commission shall cancels the verification card of the withdrawn agent. Anytime with his/her own initiative, the agent can resign from his/her position and return his/her card to relevant election commission by informing registered candidate, as well as political party, block of political parties and a campaign group on referendum.
72.5. The authorities of an agent shall commence from the day of their registration by the relevant election commission, and shall finish no later than the official publication of the election (referendum) results, including not later than the day when the final decision of court is made in case of investigating complaints on violation of this Code, except the cases mentioned in Article 72.4 of this Code. The authorities of an agent shall also finish when the status of all candidates and referendum campaign groups that agents represent is lost.

Article 73. Candidate’s Refusal from the Status of Candidacy.
73.1. The nominated candidate can withdraw his/her application of consent to be candidate any time, by informing the relevant election commission. Such kind of written information cannot be withdrawn.
73.2. The registered candidate can withdraw his/her candidacy by submitting a written application to the relevant election commission at least 10 days prior to election day. Such kind of application cannot be withdrawn. The relevant election ommission shall make a decision on canceling of candidate’s registration within 1 day on the basis of received application. The relevant election commission should get the fund back, given to him from the budget, if a registered candidate withdraws his/her candidacy without compelling reasons indicated in Article 73.3 of this Code, and the registration deposit shall not be returned in this case.
73.3 The compelling reasons grounds for withdrawing candidacy of a registered candidate as well as the compelling reasons grounds for withdrawing candidates of political party, block of political parties shall be understood as considering by court the registered candidate to be incapacitated as a result of a serious malady confirmed by the relevant medical examination body, specified in the Labor Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, or as the illness that affects his/her health or makes it impossible for him/her to participate in the election campaign.
73.4 The information on withdrawing of candidacy by the candidate him-/herself shall be posted on notice boards of the Central, Constituency and Precinct Election Commissions, stipulated in Article 98.3 of this Code.
73.5 If a registered candidate is considered incapacitated by court,
73.6 If he/she has a serious illness confirmed by the relevant medical examination body, specified in the Labor Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, or he/she or his/her immediate relatives have an illness that affects his/her health or makes it impossible for him/her to participate in election campaign.