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Court cases opened against 41 for alleged irregularities in local İstanbul elections

PHOTO: AFP

Three indictments for a total of 41 people who took part in running the March 31 local elections in İstanbul were accepted by three different courts of first instance, marking the beginning of legal cases against them for alleged neglect of duty, the Diken news website reported.

The charges were brought against polling clerks, presiding officers and political party representatives. Prosecutors sought prison sentences ranging from three months to one year.

After March 31, the allegations were first brought up by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) officials after their party lost İstanbul to opposition nominee Ekrem İmamoğlu by a narrow margin.

On May 6, the country’s Supreme Election Board (YSK) validated an official objection lodged by the AKP and ruled for a rerun of the elections on June 23 in which İmamoğlu won by a larger margin over his AKP rival.

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