BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Disputes over the parliamentary elections held in February and March triggered violence in Kyrgyzstan's south. However, the election commission announced on Tuesday that the results for 71 seats were valid and the remaining four seats are still up for grabs.

    The following are basic facts about the parliament in the country, where Muslims make up about 70 percent of the population.

    -- On May 5, 1993, the first constitution since the country's independence in August 1991 was promulgated. It provides for a secular republic based on the rule of law with the division of power in legislative, administrative and judicial branches.

    -- In February 1995, a new parliament with two chambers was elected. The Legislative Assembly, the upper house, have 35 seats and the People's Assembly, the lower house, is composed of 70 deputies.

    -- In February 2003, constitutional amendments were approved at a referendum. As a result, a unicameral legislature replaces the two-chamber parliament. The allocation of seats on a proportional basis among parties was revoked and all legislators are selected directly from constituencies instead.

    -- According to Kyrgyzstan's electoral law and constitutional amendments, the transformation from the two-chamber parliament to the unicameral shall be realized this year after parliamentary elections. Seventy-five seats in the parliament are to be filled directly from the winners of all 75 constituencies. Enditem