The Senate of Kazakhstan (, Қазақстан Парламентінің Сенаты) is the upper house of two chambers in Kazakhstan's legislature, known as the Parliament (Parlamenti). The Senate is composed of elected members: two from each region and two from three municipalities which are Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent. Members of the Senate are elected on the basis of indirect suffrage by secret ballot. Half of elected members of the Senate are up for election every three years. Fifteen members are appointed by the President of Kazakhstan with the view to ensure representation for all the diverse national, cultural components of society. The term of office for the members of the Senate is six years. According to constitutional norms in the Parliament of the fifth convocation, members of the Senate elected in 2011 and 2014 and those appointed by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2011 and 2013 continue to hold office. History The Senate of Kazakhstan was established shortly after the 1995 Kazakh constitutional referendum held on 30 August 1995 where voters approved of a new draft of the Constitution that formed a bicameral Parliament which included the upper house Senate in Kazakhstan for the first time. According to the Constitution, the term of office of the Senators of the 1st convocation was 4 years, while half of the Senators were re-elected every 2 years. In the aftermath of the elections held on 5 December 1995, 40 Senators were elected in which 2 each from 19 regions and the capital of Kazakhstan which at that time was Almaty from the mäslihats (local legislatures) members and 7 Senators were appointed by the President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The Senate convened in first session on 30 January 1996. On 8 October 1997, elections for 4 year term Senators were held in connection with the end of the term of office of the Senators who were elected for 2 years. After the past administrative reform and optimization of regions, 15 Senators were elected which were held in 14 regions and in Almaty. In aftermath of Akmola being declared as the new capital of Kazakhstan, elections for Senators were held on 11 February 1998 from the city. On 7 October 1998, amendments to the Constitution of Kazakhstan were adopted, according to which the term of office of a Senator was increased to 6 years, while the other half of the Senators were to be every 3 years.