The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has filed an objection with the Supreme Election Board (YSK), claiming that non-civil servants will work at polling stations again during the İstanbul mayoral re-run, which will be held on June 23.
The YSK on May 6 annulled the results of the March 31 local elections in İstanbul, claiming that there were irregularities and that non-civil servants were on duty as polling station officials contrary to the 22nd article of the Election Law. The YSK found that 3,500 polling station officials were not government employees.
The CHP discovered that four non-civil servants have been appointed as polling station officials in İstanbul’s Beykoz district for the June 23 mayoral election in İstanbul.
CHP İstanbul provincial chairperson Canan Kafatancıoğlu said it was the YSK that cancelled the results of the March 31 election due to some polling station officials’ not being public officials and that it is doing the same thing again for the June 23 vote.
The İstanbul mayoral post was won by CHP candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 31.
The YSK announced its 7-4 decision due to allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost the race in İstanbul by a narrow margin.
The YSK attracted widespread criticism from inside and outside Turkey for its decision, with many calling it a “civilian coup.”