ALGIERS - Algerian voters go to polling stations Thursday from 8:00 am (7:00 GMT) to elect their local representatives at 1,541 People's Communal Assemblies (APC) and the 48 Provincial Assemblies (APW) for a 5 years term.

For this double voting, as many as 21,445,621 people were registered to vote in some 48,000 polling stations throughout the country.

A total of 8,383 lists were filed by the 52 parties and 197 lists by independent candidates for the APC election, while for APW election, it includes 607 lists of political parties, and 9 independent lists.

In terms of logistics, about 800,000 government employees were mobilized for this vote.

To ensure transparency of the election, the National Commission of Local Elections Supervision (CNSEL), composed of judges and the Independent National Commission on Monitoring Local Elections (CNISEL) representing all political parties and independent candidates, have been put in place.

The vote will be closed at 19:00 pm (18:00 GMT).

A woman walks past municipal electoral posters in Algiers, in this Nov 27, 2012 file photo. Algerians vote in the regional and municipal elections on Nov 29. [Photo/Agencies]