Bad news for Gürsel Tekin: Decision issued by the election board
Following the cancellation decision by the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance, Gürsel Tekin's request for an extraordinary congress, in his capacity as a court-appointed trustee, has been rejected by the Sarıyer District Election Board on legal grounds.
12punto
Following the court's cancellation of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul Provincial Congress on October 8, 2023, Gürsel Tekin, who was appointed as a trustee, applied to the Sarıyer District Election Board to organize an extraordinary congress.
In his application dated September 10, 2025, Tekin's lawyer, Barış Demirkuş, requested that the documents and records necessary for the extraordinary congress be delivered to him.
The application stated that Tekin, as the head and a member of the call committee, was authorized on behalf of the Istanbul Provincial Presidency, the provincial administration, and the disciplinary boards.
REJECTION DECISION FROM THE ELECTION BOARD
The Sarıyer District Election Board reviewed the application and rejected the request based on Article 21 of the Law on Political Parties No. 2820, Supreme Election Council (YSK) decisions 2020/505 and 2017/353, as well as the CHP Charter and Congress Regulations. The decision emphasized that the sole authorized body for election procedures is the CHP Headquarters.
The board's decision included the following statements:
"As understood from the Republican People's Party charter and congress regulations, the authorized body for election-related work and procedures on behalf of the party regarding the extraordinary congress in question is the CHP Headquarters, which is the Central Executive Board; therefore, the interlocutor for all correspondence and election-related work and procedures that our election board presidency will conduct as required by law is not the CHP İstanbul Provincial Presidency, but the CHP Headquarters as the Central Executive Board."
Furthermore, citing Articles 10 and 21 of the Law on Basic Provisions of Elections and Voter Registers No. 298, it was stated that there is no legal provision regarding the delivery of application documents under review to unauthorized party officials, delegates, or members:
"Since there is no legal provision for the delivery of application documents currently under review by our Presidency to party officials, delegates, or members—whether authorized or unauthorized on behalf of the party for the relevant extraordinary election—in accordance with the Law on Basic Provisions of Elections and Voter Registers No. 298 and Articles 10 and 21 of the Law on Political Parties No. 2820, it has been decided to definitively reject the request."