Castro, who has been sidelined from power for nearly 18 months following major intestinal surgery, is among 614 uncontested candidates for the legislature, which will name 31 lawmakers to the Council of State led by the President.

The election is free of surprises and choices. But the new assembly will be closely watched as it will name by March 5 a new President amid widespread speculation over whether it will pick someone else other than Fidel Castro for the first time in almost five decades.

The 81-year-old leader's future has been a major question mark since he handed power to his brother and defence chief Raul, now 76, on July 31, 2006, officially on an temporary basis while he recovers from surgery.

The communist leader, who took power in 1959, has given contradictory signals about his plans for the future.

In December, he announced for the first time that he would not ‘cling to power’ or obstruct the rise of a new generation of leaders.

Fidel Castro, who has cherished delivering long speeches to huge crowds, has never appeared in public since announcing his surgery and has only appeared in videos or still pictures.