Municipal Council Members Will Also Not be Given Mandate Due to Statutory Decrees

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The Supreme Election Council (YSK) has repeated its verdict to not mandate elected mayors who were previously discharged upon the statutory decrees for elected municipal council members.

The next candidate in the same party's list will be mandated according to the verdict that was made after the examination of an application for information by the Hakkari Provincial Election Council.

CLICK - Elected Mayors Discharged by Statutory Decrees Won't Be Given Certificates of Election

The verdict signed by the YSK Chair Sadi Güven remarked, "Those who were discharged from public service upon a statutory decree cannot be employed in public service again without looking for a verdict of conviction."

It said that the next member will be mandated for municipal councils in metropolitan municipalities and provincial general councils in city municipalities according to the Article 25/4 of the Law No. 2972.

What happened?

YSK ruled on April 10 that the elected mayors who were previously discharged by statutory decrees during the State of Emergency shall not be given their certificates of election.

The election body made this decision based on a provision in a statutory decree: "The ones removed from office in this way cannot be employed in public service and cannot take office in public institutions."

In six districts and towns won by the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), there were candidates who were discharged by Statutory Decrees.

In all of these places, the candidates nominated by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have come second.

HDP yesterday dubbed the verdict as "contrary to reason, law and morals," declaring that it will raise an extraordinary objection at the YSK.

HDP MP Mithat Sancar, referring to the Articles 67 and 76 of the Constitution, said that the provisions of the Constitution as to who are eligible to stand for elections and whose candidacy cannot be accepted on what grounds are clear.

Emphasizing that the Law no. 2972 also specifies the conditions for becoming a candidate, Sancar stated that the YSK issued a series of circular letters regarding the issue all through the pre-election period as well.

"We will raise an extraordinary objection. The YSK did not fulfill its duty while examining the eligibility conditions of candidates," he said.