Critical YSK decision on Gürsel Tekin! At the extraordinary congress...

The Supreme Election Council (YSK) has announced its short decision regarding the Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul Extraordinary Provincial Congress. The decision states that the congress process must be conducted by the Sarıyer 1st District Election Board and clarifies the ongoing debate regarding delegates.

According to NTV, it was emphasized that neither the interim committee led by Gürsel Tekin, who was appointed as a trustee to the CHP Istanbul Provincial Presidency by court order, nor the dismissed former Istanbul Provincial Administration will be able to vote as delegates at the extraordinary congress. Thus, it has been finalized that only elected delegates will have the right to vote at the extraordinary congress.

The short decision notes that the Sarıyer 1st District Election Board requested an opinion in line with the interim decision of the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance dated September 2, 2025. In that decision, the court had ruled for the "precautionary suspension of the election activities for the upcoming Republican People's Party Istanbul District Congresses and the Provincial Congress." Following this, the district election board had requested an opinion from the YSK regarding whether the extraordinary congress could be held and who would be considered delegates.

In its decision, the YSK stated that the provincial executive board and disciplinary board members elected at the 38th Ordinary Istanbul Provincial Congress held on October 8, 2023, cannot vote as natural delegates at the extraordinary congress because they are not also elected district delegates. Furthermore, the question of "whether the trustee committee appointed by court order can vote as natural delegates at the CHP Istanbul Extraordinary Provincial Congress" was also clarified. The decision explicitly stated that this committee also does not have voting rights.

On the other hand, it was stated that there is no obstacle to the new delegates to be elected through the 39th Ordinary District Congresses voting at the extraordinary congress. Thus, the YSK has definitively ruled that only elected delegates have the right to vote in the congress process in Istanbul, and that individuals who were dismissed by court order or appointed as trustees cannot vote.

News Source: 12punto