Turkey’s Council of State has rejected a case filed by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) demanding the cancellation of the results of a referendum held on April 16 due to irregularities in the voting process.
The CHP filed the case last week and demanded a stay of execution. However, the Council of State on Tuesday rejected its application on the grounds that it was outside its jurisdiction. The court made its ruling with a majority of votes.
A constitutional reform package introducing an executive presidency in Turkey was approved by 51.4 percent of the electorate in the referendum.
During the voting, some citizens cast their votes in unstamped ballots, while others used envelopes and ballots they brought with them, which prompted some opposition parties and naysayers to raise suspicions about the validity of the votes.
The CHP already applied to the country’s Supreme Election Board (YSK) last week to have the results of the referendum cancelled, but its application was rejected by the board.