Turkey: Top election body to inquire opposition appeal

By Aylin Sirikli</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Turkey's top election body will evaluate an extraordinary appeal by the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to cancel the last month’s local poll results in Istanbul.</p> <p>Last week, the MHP appealed to the Supreme Election Council to cancel the results in the metropolitan municipality and in the Maltepe district due to the “high illegality” seen during the elections.</p> <p>In its appeal, the MHP claimed that the presiding officers and polling station staffs who are supposed to be civil servants as per Turkish law served during the elections without appointed by Istanbul governorate.</p> <p>In Wednesday’s interim decision after meeting to discuss the MHP’s appeal, the YSK ruled that the district election boards in Maltepe will inform the top election body about from where they obtained the list of the presiding officers and polling station staffs.</p> <p>The YSK gave five days to district election boards in Maltepe to do what is necessary as per the interim decision. </p> <p>Last week, the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party also appealed to the YSK over the results of the Istanbul polls.</p> <p>In its appeal, the AK Party claimed that 41,132 people had voted despite being ineligible to cast vote in the elections according to the country's election law. </p> <p>YSK said on Tuesday that they will investigate over 41,000 ineligible voters following the AK Party’s contest. </p> <p>The ineligible voters included deceased people as well as those behind bars and mentally retarded.</p> <p>The election body said it would investigate the issue, and then it will deliver its final decision. </p> <p>Millions of Turkish voters cast their votes nationwide on March 31 in local elections to choose mayors, city council members, and other officials for the next five years. </p> <p>Despite Ekrem Imamoglu, of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), officially taking office as Istanbul mayor, his election still faces legal challenges from the AK party, citing illegalities at the polls. </p> <p>* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic