Palestinian National Authority Chairman, leader of the Fatah movement, Mahmoud Abbas casts his vote at Tarasanta School, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on August 9, 2009. The election for Fatah movement's central committee and revolutioary council kicked off on Sunday, voting for Fatah's future leadership. [Xinhua]

Palestinian ruling Fatah movement on Sunday began internal elections to select a new central committee and a revolutionary council, the highest bodies of the movement.

Tens of candidates are standing for the 23-member central committee and hundreds are hopeful to win places in the 125-seats revolutionary council, Fatah's legislative body, for the first time in 20 years.

The elections took place on the sixth day of Fatah convention in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. The polls were scheduled to begin on Friday but discussions of other issues have delayed the elections.

On Saturday, the 2,355 Fatah delegates re-elected President Mahmoud Abbas as the movement's leader in an uncontested endorsement.

The event is marred by Hamas' refusal to let some 400 Gaza-based delegates to travel to attend the conference in the West Bank. Hamas has been ruling Gaza since it ousted Fatah and routed pro-Abbas forces in June 2007.

Following his appointment Saturday, Abbas said the conference "has succeeded and will succeed in spite of Hamas."