Latest in İstanbul Election Recount: CHP's İmamoğlu Ahead by 15,119 Votes With 944 Ballot Boxes Remaining

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The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu has made a statement, giving information on the recount of the invalid votes in İstanbul after the March 31 local elections.

CHP candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu is ahead of the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Binali Yıldırım by 15,119 votes, Kaftancıoğlu announced at around 1 p.m.

This marks an increase in the gap in favor of İmamoğlu as CHP Spokesperson Faik Öztrak stated yesterday that the difference was 14,532 votes.

In İstanbul, recounts are completed in 30,242 ballot boxes out of 31,186, while it is continuing in the 944 ballot boxes and in the districts of Pendik, Esenyurt, Avcılar and Maltepe, Kaftancıoğlu informed.

"It is clear that the gap will not close"

Calling the Supreme Election Council (YSK) to mandate İmamoğlu, Kaftancıoğlu said, "The verdicts for 57 ballot boxes were issued yesterday. In those counts, it is seen that the votes are in favor of us. For a few votes more... Let's end this process. Let the people of İstanbul relax, it is clear that the gap won't close."

Also commenting on AKP's "extraordinary objection" to the results in the district of Büyükçekmece, Kaftancıoğlu said, "We made objections regarding moved, massed voters in 39 districts. We objected to 19,502 voter registrations. As a result of our objections, 5,864 voter registrations were suspended."

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"We had many findings such as moving voter [registrations] from districts to plots, moving voter [registrations] to abandoned buildings. Of our objections, 13,680 were rejected.

"That day, we also had objections about Büyükçekmece. By us and AKP objections were made against three thousand voters."

AKP appealed at the YSK for the cancellation of the election in Büyükçekmece and the suspension of the registrations of voters which it claims are "unlawful." (HK/VK)