Kyrgyz voters poured into polling stations early on Sunday to elect the country’s new leader for the first time since the ouster of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev last year.
More than 2,200 polling stations opened throughout the country at 8 am local time (02:00 GMT) and will close at 7 pm local time (13:00 GMT).
A total of 16 candidates are running in the elections. Seven officially registered candidates recently withdrew from the presidential race, including three on Thursday.
Interim President Roza Otunbayeva, who took power after Bakiyev was ousted as president amid large-scale popular protests in April 2010 is barred from running in the polls. She is to leave the presidential post on December 31.
source: commonspace.eu with agencies
photo: downtown Bishkek
