Hà Nhì ethnic minority people in northern mountainous Lai Châu Province cast their ballots on Sunday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng said he and other voters nationwide hope all of those elected to the 15th parliament and all-level People’s Councils will do their utmost for the sake of the people and the country, fulfilling their responsibilities and duties in line with the Constitution and laws.

The Party leader, who is also a candidate of Hà Nội in the NA election, went to Polling Station No 4 of Nguyễn Du Ward, Hà Nội’s Hai Bà Trưng District, on Sunday morning to cast his vote.

After the election opening ceremony, the Party leader, together with the 90-year-old Hoàng Thanh Tuyền and 19-year-old Hoàng Tuyển Minh – the eldest and youngest voters in the constituency, and Buddhist monk Thích Đàm Linh, cast the first ballots.

Talking to reporters of domestic and foreign press agencies after voting, the Party General Secretary stressed that this is the 15th and the largest-ever general election, with nearly 70 million voters who will select 500 deputies to the 15th NA, nearly 4,000 deputies to provincial-level People’s Councils, and more than 240,000 others to communal-level People’s Councils.

He expressed his belief that the elections will be successful and truly a festival of all people.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính attended a ceremony to start the elections and cast his vote at a voting station in the Mekong Delta's Cần Thơ City on Sunday morning.

Talking to the press after voting, the Government leader said he rejoiced to see voters eagerly taking part in the election to exercise their civic right and duty. "The elections are a festival of the people, contributing to building the socialist democracy and a law-governed State of the people, by the people and for the people," he said.

He said the elections had been held in a democratic, open, transparent and fair manner in accordance with the law.

Before and during casting their votes, delegates and voters followed pandemic prevention measures including making health declarations, sanitising hands, wearing face masks and keeping distance from others.

NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ was the first to cast ballots at the polling station No.1 in An Lão township, northern Hải Phòng City’s An Lão District on Sunday morning.

Speaking to reporters after voting, Huệ, who is also Chairman of the National Election Council and a candidate of Hải Phòng, sent his best wishes to people and officers nationwide on the election day.

He said he was happy to see a high turnout rate of 99.96 per cent during early voting in certain areas in 16 provinces on Saturday with around half a million voters going to the polls, despite the COVID-19 resurgence in many cities and provinces. The voter turnout rate reached 100 per cent in 14 out of 16 provinces, he added.

The NA Chairman expected the new legislature would bolster reforms to enhance its performance in lawmaking, supervising and decision-making in major issues, and to truly be the highest representative body of the people and the highest organ of State power of Việt Nam.

The elections had been organised with the involvement of the entire political system with a high sense of responsibility to overcome the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Huệ said.

Huệ took the occasion to express his gratitude towards those who work on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 – healthcare workers, policemen, soldiers and others – who still cast their votes while on duty, particularly those in quarantined sites, locked-down areas and hospitals.

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and his wife joined other voters in Củ Chi Township of HCM City's Củ Chi District in casting ballots on Sunday morning.

President Phúc, also a candidate of HCM City in the NA election, emphasised national solidarity, highlighting the need to further promote solidarity among the people, among religions, as well as among Vietnamese at home and abroad to develop Việt Nam.

Elections go as planned

The elections had gone as planned in all cities and provinces so far, thanks to good organisation, member of the National Election Council and Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyễn Khắc Định told reporters on Sunday morning.

There had been no reports of election-related problems by localities so far, he said.

Voting had been completed in several constituencies with the voter turnout rate reaching 100 per cent, Định noted, adding that an electoral unit of the public security force (which can open the polls slightly earlier) in the Mekong Delta province of Trà Vinh was the first to complete voting in the country, at 6:50am, with a 100 per cent turnout rate. — VNS