Trustee appointed to HDP’s Sarıcan Municipality in Elazığ

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Three people, including Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) Sarıcan Town Co-Mayor Bekir Polat, have been taken into custody in Karakoçan district of Turkey's eastern Elazığ province.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the related formalities of the detained are still ongoing at the security directorate. Deputy Governor of Elazığ Erkan Kaçmaz has been appointed as a trustee to the Sarıcan Mayorship in place of detained mayor Bekir Polat.

The Governor's Office of Elazığ has released a statement about the issue. Reminding the public that Bekir Polat has been detained, the Office has announced that "Deputy Governor Erkan Kaçmaz has been appointed as an acting mayor in his place as per the Articles 45 and 46 of Municipality Law."

The Governor's Office has also indicated that Polat has been removed from office depending on the Article 127 of the Constitution and the Article 47 of the Law no. 5393 of the Municipality Law.

Trustees to 46 of 65 municipalities

In the last local elections on March 31, 2019, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) won 65 municipalities across Turkey.

While trustees have been appointed to 46 of these municipalities, the certificates of elections of six elected mayors were not given as they had been discharged from public service by a Statutory Decree.

HDP's 21 ousted co-mayors are currently behind bars. (EMK/SD)