NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan

Kazakhs are set to go to polls on Sunday to choose a new president.

Voting will start at 7 a.m. local time (0100GMT) and end at 8 p.m. (1400GMT).

Some 12 million people are expected to vote in the elections.

Seven candidates are competing for the top job.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev who took the reins as acting president a day after the resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev earlier in March had announced that the oil-rich Central Asian country will hold snap polls on June 9.

Kazakhstan's ruling party nominated Tokayev as its presidential candidate.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz