Staff members of the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) count the votes of the parliamentary elections in Tunis, Tunisia, in the midnight of Oct. 6, 2019 The polling centers for the parliamentary elections opened on Sunday in 24 provinces of Tunisia. More than 15,000 candidates from different parties, party coalition and independent candidates were competing for the 217 seats in the Assembly of People's Representatives. (Photo by Adele Ezzine/Xinhua)
TUNIS, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- A soldier "accidentally fired a shot in the air" on Sunday at the voting center of Ain Zana primary school in Haffouz town of the Kairouan governorate, the private radio station Mosaic FM reported.
The incident took place a few minutes before the opening of the polling center.
The polling centers for the parliamentary elections opened on Sunday in 24 provinces of Tunisia.
More than 15,000 candidates from different parties, party coalition or independent candidates are competing for the 217 seats in the Assembly of People's Representatives (Parliament).
A total of seven million people are eligible to vote on Sunday's elections.
Voters cast their ballot in favour of a list in their home districts. According to data from the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), among the 1,572 confirmed lists, 687 are party lists, 722 are independent and 163 are coalition.
The preliminary result of the elections will be announced on Oct. 10 while the final result will be announced on Oct. 13.
According to Tunisian constitution, the party that secures more than 109 out of 217 seats in the parliament has the right to appoint a prime minister and form a government.
"The Interior Ministry has provided all logistical means to ensure the proper conduct of the poll across the country," assured the Interior Ministry Spokesman Khaled Hayouni on Sunday.
The Assembly of People's Representatives is elected for a five-year term. The first session of the legislature of the assembly shall begin within 15 days after the proclamation of the final results of the elections at the request of the president of the outgoing assembly.
