Qom, Feb 26, IRNA � Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a top religious leader, on Friday called on the Iranian nation to take part in the elections.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi made the remarks after voting at a ballot box in the holy city of Qom in central Iran in the elections for the fifth Assembly of Experts and the tenth parliament.

He said that all Iranians, from any political party and with any political inclinations, should take part in the elections.

Polling started at 08:00 a.m. (04:30 GMT) in over 1,063 constituencies nationwide.

A total of 4,844 candidates, including about 500 women, who have been qualified from amongst 12,000 registered candidates by the Guardian Council, are taking part in the competition today to occupy parliamentary seats while the number of those competing for 88 seats at the Assembly of Experts is 159.

Polling is being carried out in over 52,000 polling stations nationwide.

Some 54,915,024 Iranians are eligible to vote.

Casting ballots will continue till 18:00 local time and will be extended if deemed necessary.

By IRNA