Media coverage of Azerbaijan's controversial referendum on constitutional changes has reflected both official optimism and opposition concerns over possible vote-rigging.

As Azeris went to the polls, news bulletins on state-owned radio and TV emphasised how well the vote was going, dismissing opposition predictions that turnout would be far below the 50% needed to make the referendum valid.

Azerbaijan TV showed President Heydar Aliyev casting his ballot alongside his son Ilham and telling reporters voting activity was "very high" - a direct rebuff to the opposition's call for a boycott of the vote.

Independent ANS Television also showed Aliyev voting in his Baku constituency, but its coverage included a report on alleged voting irregularities.

Irregularities

An election observer for the opposition People's Front of Azerbaijan Party told an ANS correspondent in Baku's Narimanov constituency that a large number of employees from a local machine-building plant had been bussed into the district to vote although they were registered in other parts of the capital as well.

One man from the Sattarxan plant told the TV station he had every intention of voting twice.

Obstinate teachers have been threatened with dismissal

Turan news agency

"I work at the plant, that was why I came here," he said. Asked about voting in his own district, he added: "I will vote there too."

But the chairman of the polling station said he was unaware of any violations.

"This plant is situated in Narimanov district. The people from Narimanov plant came and voted. Other people cannot vote here. I did not see this. If you saw this, it was your affair. I did not see this."

Concern over electoral fraud and campaign irregularities were also highlighted by opposition and independent media in the run-up to the vote.

Campaign pressure

The independent news agency Turan said the authorities were "taking all possible measures to guarantee a massive turnout".

President Aliyev said turnout was high

"Apart from criticizing the opposition and advertising the referendum in state media, the authorities are actively using administrative levers to influence voters."

Teachers had been promised bonuses if they made sure enough parents went to the polls while "obstinate" teachers had been threatened with dismissal, it said.

"Instructions" on the need to vote were being read out to other state employees, while "explanatory" work was under way among owners of small and medium-sized commercial enterprises.

"They are being threatened with the closure of their business if they refuse to take part," the agency said.

Independent Azadliq newspaper also focused on alleged campaign irregularities, including the case of one voter who complained he had received two different sets of voting papers.

But the independent newspaper Zerkalo claimed that the Council of Europe and western countries had warned the Azeri authorities not to allow "falsifications" to get out of hand.

And as a result, it said, "official Baku has recently been taking all possible measures to observe the norms of decency", eventually allowing the registration of opposition election monitors.

In the days before the poll official newspapers repeatedly stressed the importance of the proposed constitutional changes "to guarantee the rights and freedoms of Azeris".

Prominence was given to officials, religious leaders, politicians and even popular singers calling on people to vote and criticizing the opposition for their "destructive stance".

But while the referendum was still front-page news in independent and opposition papers on Saturday in the official press it had been relegated to the inside pages.

Azarbaycan, Xalq Qazeti, Bakinskiy Rabochiy and Yeni Azarbaycan all led with the visit by a Turkish official, Akkan Suver, and the presentation to Mr Aliyev of the award of "Ataturk Chief Teacher".

Only Azarbaycan repeated the call to people to take part in the referendum.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.