CHP’s Representative to YSK: YSK Wrote Its Decision on Unsealed Ballots Today

Click to read the article in Turkish

People’s Democratic Party’s (CHP) Representative to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) Mehmet Hadimi Yakupoğlu has said that the written notice issued by the YSK concerning the lifting of the obligation to have a seal on ballot paper and envelopes was written today (April 18).

Speaking to bianet, Yakupoğlu said that the written notice will be issued today after all the YSK members sign it.

Noting that the decision was taken that day after the votes started to be counted, Yakupoğlu underlined that the request by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) was made after the ballot boxes started to be opened.

In response to claims reported in the media that “CHP members didn’t raise an objection at the YSK that day”, Yakupoğlu said, “There are 11 YSK members and four political party representatives in the YSK. We orally submitted our objections but the political party representatives have no right to vote”.

In response to the YSK President Sadi Güven’s statement that “As long as there is a watermark on the ballots, then it is fine”, Yakupoğlu said:

“We didn’t say the ballot papers were fake or lacking watermark. We said you prevented the detection of invalid votes. If the unsealed ballots were counted, then there would be a different outcome. How do you abolish the present law right after the votes started to be counted?” (EKN/TK)