Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Chairman VuongDinh Hue has called on voters nationwide to actively go to the polls to elect themost deserving deputies to the 15th legislature and all-level People’sCouncils for 2021-2026.

Voters should be well aware of their role and right to mastery, he told the media in an interview ahead of the general elections, set to take placeon May 23.

The selection of deputies by voters is the factor  that decides the quality and efficiency of elected bodies, contributing to building the legal framework, improving the investment and business environment and promoting socio-economic development as well as to ensuring national defence-security, social welfare and the right to mastery of the people, he said. 

More than 69 million voters will go to 84,767 pollingstations across the country to elect deputies to the 15th NA andall-level People’s Councils for 2021-2026 on the day. 

Given the COVID-19 spread, Hue, who is also head of theNational Election Council (NEC), urged voters to observe pandemic preventionand control regulations on the election day.

Regarding preparations for the important political event,the top legislator said the NA and its Standing Committee, the Government, theNEC, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), People’s Councils, People’s Committeesand Election Committees, and the entire political system have given the toppriority to the work, especially after the 13th National PartyCongress in January.

Notably, personnel preparations have been carried outin line with regulations, ensuring democracy, in order to choose appropriatecandidates who have capacity and qualifications to undertake assigned tasks, headded.

Hue also highlighted efforts made in organisingmeetings between candidates and voters, information and communications work,and ensuring order, safety and security.

The NA Standing Committee and the NEC have sent groupsto supervise preparations in localities, asking them to draw up electionscenarios in case of natural disasters and pandemic outbreaks, according to thechief legislator.

Hue said he highly values the quick, thorough andeffective preparations by localities, which willgreatly contribute to the success of the event.

All voters and people are looking forward to the electionday, the leader said, expressing hisbelief that voter turnover will be high and the most eminent deputies will beselected.

Asked about response to COVID-19, Hue said the NAStanding Committee, the NEC, the Government and the VFF Central Committee haveissued documents instructing localities to set forth scenarios for pandemicoutbreak and natural disasters during the preparations as well as the electionday.

Competent forces are working round the clock to tracecontact, seal off and stamp out epidemic clusters, and carry out COVID-19 vaccination, the NA Chairman went on.

Early voting has been held in certain localities likeQuang Nam and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, with voter turnout reaching 100 percent, and pandemicprevention and control as well as security and safety ensured.

NA Chairman Hue also added that full-time deputies in the NA, who will account for at least 40 percent of the total deputies under the 2020 Law on Organisation of the NA, will play the core role in law building, supreme supervision and decision making regarding the country's important issues, helping reforming and enhancing the professionalism of the legislature in the time ahead./.