TASHKENT, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Voting for Uzbekistan's parliamentary and local council elections began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) around the country.

Uzbekistan will use for the first time a Unified Electronic Voter List, with more than 20.5 million voters being registered, according to Uzbek Central Election Commission.

Around 10,260 polling stations are set up for the elections, 55 of which are located abroad at the diplomatic missions of Uzbekistan.

A total of 825 observers, representatives of nine international organizations and 41 foreign countries, including China, can observe the election process in all regions of the country.

Five officially registered political parties, the National Revival Party, the People's Democratic Party, the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the Social Democratic Party Adolat and the Ecological Party will compete for 150 seats in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan (the lower house of the parliament).

Polls will close at 20:00 local time (1500 GMT).

The Senate will be formed following the elections for the legislative chamber. The last parliamentary elections were held in 2014.