Two opposition parties in Turkish parliament declare they will challenge the results of the constitutional referendum on Sunday.
State-run Anadolu Agency reported the 'Yes' votes were leading with 51,3 percent against 'No' votes at 48,6 percent, with 99 percent of the ballots opened.
“According to data of the Supreme Election Board, 'No' votes are leading by 1 per cent” Bülent Tezcan, an MP of the main opposition party CHP (Republican People's Party), said.
Speaking live on CNN Türk news channel, Tezcan said state-run news outlet Anadolu Agency manipulated the data, and the votes were still being counted according to the information released by the Supreme Election Board.
Tezcan also criticised the decision of the Board, which earlier declared that unsealed ballots would be accepted as valid votes.
“The Board changed the rules after the count was started”, Tezcan said. CHP MP pointed out that the move means the Board is permitting fraud in the elections.
CHP Vice-Chairman Erdal Aksünger said his party was challenging the results. Aksünger claimed the state-run Anadolu Agency, which reported more than 98% of the ballots were opened, was manipulating the data and said: “The votes are still being counted, so everyone should keep waiting at district election boards.”
Aksünger said 1,5 million invalid ballots were included in the count, and his party made an official application against the move.
Pro-Kurdish HDP (People's Democratic Party) also claimed there was extensive fraud in the polls. In a statement on Twitter, the Istanbul office of HDP said the party would challenge the results.
“Even if the outcome is a 'Yes' or 'No', we will protest the results in two thirds of all ballot boxes. Our data indicates that the results have been manipulated by 3 or 4 percent”, the party said in a tweet.
Meral Akşener, a former MP of the right-wing MHP (Nationalist Movement Party), also said the 'No' votes were leading in the polls.
Akşener, who was expelled from MHP last year after leading a group of opposition against its leader Devlet Bahçeli, said the results of the Supreme Election Board indicated 'No' votes were at 52 percent against 'Yes' at 48 percent.
