Preliminary results show that Tajikistan's ruling People's Democratic Party won 50.4 percent of the vote in the parliamentary election, Bakhtiyor Khudoyorzoda, chairman of the Central Election Commission announced on Monday. 

Along with the ruling party, six other parties took part in the elections. The Party of Economic Reforms grabbed 16.6 percent of the vote, the Agrarian Party at 16.5 percent, the Socialist Party at 5.15 percent, the Democratic Party of Tajikistan at 5.1 percent, the Communist party of Tajikistan at 3.1 percent of the vote, and the Social democratic party of Tajikistan at 0.3 percent. 

A total of 241 candidates from seven parties, including 48 women, have contested for 63 seats – 41 in single-mandate constituencies and 22 in general constituencies elected along party lines. 

Tajik MPs are elected every five years. The parties need to pass a five percent threshold to be elected to the parliament, while candidates in single-mandate constituencies must secure at least 50 percent of votes. 

According to the Central Election Commission, the People's Democratic Party led by President Emomali Rahmon, secured 12 out of 22 seats in general constituencies. 

A total of 236 international observers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other foreign missions were monitoring the election. 

SCO Deputy Secretary General Nurlan Akkoshkarov said at a briefing in Dushanbe that the SCO recognizes the election as transparent, reliable and democratic. 

Over 86 percent of eligible voters, some 4.3 million voters, cast ballots in 3,412 polling stations across the country and 39 stations abroad on Sunday.