Election safety once again appears to be a priority for the Republican People's Party (CHP). Party officials have been criticizing new regulations ahead of the upcoming elections and focusing on the issue in meetings with other political parties.
The CHP's recently formed committee, led by Deputy Chairman Bülent Tezcan, has been paying visits to political parties to raise the topic of election safety and the alliance bill that was presented by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
After meetings with other parties, the committee, formed by Bülent Tezcan, Muharrem Erkek, Lale Karabıyık, Özgür Özel and Mehmet Bekaroğlu, will prepare a report and submit its suggestions to Parliament.
On Monday, the committee visited the Great Union Party (BBP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the Independent Turkey Party (BTP) and the Democrat Party (DP).
CHP's committee is set to visit the Felicity Party (SP), the Vatan Party (VP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) today and is also planning to meet with the AK Party and the MHP.
Following the meeting with the DSP, Tezcan said they will convey the views of the DSP regarding the alliance bill to Parliament and added, "We reached an agreement to organize a movement of election safety with the public in order to enable a secure election and cooperate in relation to the issue."
According to the alliance bill, ordinary citizens will be allowed to call the police or security forces if unease erupts at a polling station, whereas before you were required to express your concern to an appointed official who would then decide to call the police or not.
Another article stresses that envelopes not stamped by an election board or balloting committee will also be counted as legal votes.
The head of the balloting committee will have to be a state servant. How the head of the ballot committee will be elected and steps will be taken in case of his/her absence.
