At 9:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, the approved polling stations across Syrian provinces opened their doors to begin the voting process and receive members of the electoral bodies to cast their ballots — marking the first parliamentary elections since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the elections are being held amid the deployment of internal security forces to secure the polling centers for the People’s Assembly elections.

The new legislative body will consist of 210 members, down from 250, with the voting process scheduled to end at noon local time.

Voting is taking place at the designated electoral district centers in most provinces as determined by the High Committee for People’s Assembly Elections. A later date will be set for voting in certain areas of Raqqa and Hasakah provinces, while the seats for the remaining districts in those provinces — as well as all districts in As-Suwayda — will remain vacant until suitable conditions are available, SANA reported.