Official response to allegations of irregularity: 'Draws were held in the presence of a notary'

Official response to allegations of irregularity: Draws were held in the presence of a notary

Authorities have responded to allegations of irregularities in the lottery draw for the 100,000 social housing project in Istanbul, emphasizing that full transparency was maintained throughout the entire process.

The Communications Directorate's Center for Combating Disinformation stated in its announcement regarding the allegations of irregularities in determining the beneficiaries of the 100,000 social housing project to be built in Istanbul that, 'The entire lottery process was conducted in the presence of a notary and based entirely on a random selection principle.'

While the lottery draw procedures carried out in Istanbul within the scope of the Housing Development Administration's (TOKİ) 500,000 social housing project were completed in recent days, various allegations regarding the lottery results emerged on social media. It was specifically claimed that applicants with 7-digit sequence numbers were not selected for housing and that this might be a technical or software-related issue.

Following the public reaction to these claims, the Communications Directorate's Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) issued a statement.

The DMM's statement included the following: "The entire lottery process was carried out in the presence of a notary, in a computer environment where no external interference is possible, and based entirely on a random selection principle."

The statement also noted that the draws held on April 25, 26, and 27, 2026, were broadcast live on social media platforms based on the publicly announced application lists and in a way that everyone could watch. It was stated that the lottery results were finalized with notary approval and that the final lists were announced through official channels.

Emphasizing that citizens should be cautious against misinformation that may occur during this process, the statement also included the following remarks:

"All draws were broadcast live on social media so that our citizens could follow the process in real-time. Application lists were shared with the public before the draw, and the rights of all our citizens who met the requirements were fully defined in the system. The draw results were finalized with notary approval and announced through official channels. It is kindly requested that no credence be given to disinformation activities aimed at casting a shadow over the lottery results and undermining the reliability of our institutions, and that only statements from the relevant official authorities be taken into account."