The Constitutional Court has rejected the parliamentary main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) appeal for the cancellation of the legislative package that stipulates changes in Turkey’s electoral laws, an amendment that paves the way for electoral fraud.
The main opposition had appealed to the top court after parliament passed a controversial electoral law package proposed by ruling AKP and ultra-nationalist MHP parties, underlining that the new procedures would jeopardize election security.
The Constitutional Court rejected the application with 15 votes against 2.
The CHP had demanded the cancellation of articles that allow the Supreme Board of Elections (YSK) to change the location of ballot boxes in a number of constituencies, as well as to transfer or unite ballot boxes.
The party also demanded cancellation of the procedure for the appointment of ballot box committee chairs, as well as the validation of unsealed ballot box papers and the given of ballot box envelopes that are marked.
Unsealed ballots and envelopes had been widely discussed in the aftermath of April 16, 2017 referendum on switching to a presidential system and other constitutional amendments, which were "accepted" by 51.4 of the votes. Ballots and envelopes that were not sealed by poll boards were deemed valid by the Supreme Election Board (YSK) during the vote. Normally, for a ballot to be considered valid, it must bear the official stamp on the back, be put into an envelope that also bears an official stamp and be handed to the voter by an electoral official at a polling station. The system is designed to ensure that only one vote is cast per registered person and to avoid the possibility of ballot box-stuffing.
Another article that the CHP was concerned about was an article that allows police forces or security officials to enter election areas upon a citizens’ complaint regarding safety concerns.
Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the country would hold early presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24.
