Turkey opposition to appeal referendum result at top court

Turkey's main opposition party yesterday said it would challenge at a top court a last-minute change to voting rules in last weekend's referendum on expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers, reports AFP.The 'Yes' side won 51.4 percent of the vote in Sunday's referendum on creating an executive presidency, axing the role of prime minister from 2019.
But there was anger and shock after the Supreme Election Board (YSK) made a last-minute decision to accept ballot documents in envelopes without an official stamp, which the opposition argues opened the way for fraud."We are opening a case at the Council of State calling for the cancellation of YSK's decision to allow unsealed ballots," the Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy leader Bulent Tezcan said in a statement, quoted by CNN Turk broadcaster.The Council of State, set up during the Ottoman empire, is the country's highest administrative court.
Together with the third largest pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the CHP called for the referendum to be annulled this week.
On Wednesday, 10 members of the YSK decided against annulling the vote, while only one voted in favour.
In the statement, Tezcan urged the results not to be finalised until the case was concluded and said the party's lawyer would deliver the paperwork to the court later on Friday afternoon.
"Whether citizens said 'Yes' or 'No', we will continue our legal fight until the end to protect the rights of the 49 million citizens who voted," Tezcan said.

 

Turkey opposition to appeal referendum result at top court

Turkeys main opposition party yesterday said it would challenge at a top court a last-minute change to voting rules in last weekends referendum on expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogans powers, reports AFP.The Yes side won 51.4 percent of the vote in Sundays referendum on creating an executive presidency, axing the role of prime minister from 2019. But there was anger and shock after the Supreme Election Board (YSK) made a last-minute decision to accept ballot documents in envelopes without an official stamp, which the opposition argues opened the way for fraud.We are opening a case at the Council of State calling for the cancellation of YSKs decision to allow unsealed ballots, the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) deputy leader Bulent Tezcan said in a statement, quoted by CNN Turk broadcaster.The Council of State, set up during the Ottoman empire, is the countrys highest administrative court. Together with the third largest pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), the CHP called for the referendum to be annulled this week. On Wednesday, 10 members of the YSK decided against annulling the vote, while only one voted in favour. In the statement, Tezcan urged the results not to be finalised until the case was concluded and said the partys lawyer would deliver the paperwork to the court later on Friday afternoon. Whether citizens said Yes or No, we will continue our legal fight until the end to protect the rights of the 49 million citizens who voted, Tezcan said.