PANO – Joining the National Festival with voters from different strata across the country, officers and soldiers at the Defence Headquarters, on May 22nd, went to polling stations to elect deputies to the 13th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2011-2016 term.

The Defence Hall was colourfully decorated with flags, banners, slogans and flowers. In the early morning, incumbent and former high-ranking officers of the Defence Ministry were present in the Defence Hall to participate in a solemn ceremony to open the elections day. The opening ceremony was held at 7 a.m. in a festive atmosphere with the participation of former State President, General Le Duc Anh; former Defence Minister, General Pham Van Tra; Defence Minister, General Phung Quang Thanh; Deputy-Defence Minister, Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant-General Do Ba Ty; other top Defence officials and soldiers.

Under the Central Election Committee’s regulations, voters of the agencies and units under the Defence Headquarters and the General Staff were to cast their ballots at polling station No 8 in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, located in the Defence Hall.

Meanwhile, a similar ceremony was held in the Hall of the General Department of Politics, where polling station No 6 in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi was disposed. Former Party-General-Secretary Le Kha Phieu, Chief of the General Department of Politics, Lieutenant-General Ngo Xuan Lich; Vice-Chief of the General Department of Politics, Lieutenant-General Nguyen Thanh Cung; Vice-Chief of the General Department of Politics, Lieutenant-General Nguyen Tuan Dung and other leaders as well as soldiers and civilian personnel attended the ceremony.

After the opening ceremony, former Party-General-Secretary Le Kha Phieu was honoured to cast his first ballots. Leaders of the General Department, senior officers, soldiers and Defence workers followed him to exercise their citizenship rights and duties.

Translated by Thu Nguyen