Turkey: HDP slams top election board's Istanbul ruling

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - The co-leader of Turkey's opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on Tuesday slammed a decision by the country's top election body for a revote on June 23 of recent local elections in Istanbul.

"The Supreme Election Board [YSK] seems to view itself as above the public, since its name includes the word 'supreme'," Pervin Buldan said at her party's parliamentary group meeting.

"This is a clear coup of the ballot box," she added, asserting that the YSK disrespected the public will.

On May 6, the Supreme Election Council accepted the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's objection about the March 31 local election results in Istanbul and announced a do-over election.

In its decision, it said a number of polling officials and staff serving during the vote had not public servants as required by law.