In Georgia, 23 Candidates Registered For Presidential Poll

Giorgi Margvelashvili, the presidential candidate from the ruling Georgian Dream coalition, waves to supporters in Tbilisi on September 19.

Georgia's Central Election Commission has officially registered 23 candidates for the country's October 27 presidential election.

Commission spokeswoman Eka Azarashvili told journalists in Tbilisi on September 23 that 54 applications were received and 31 were rejected for technical reasons.

The two main contenders in the election are Giorgi Margvelashvili of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream coalition, and former parliament speaker Davit Bakradze, representing outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) plans to send up to 300 observers for the vote.

Based on reporting by civil.ge, and Interfax