DISPLAYING THEIR VOTES WAS A CRIMINAL ACT THEY DISPLAYED THEIR VOTES AS THEY CAST THEM

The first day’s ballot in the general assembly on the constitutional amendment tabled to transfer parliament’s powers to the palace passed into history as a black stain on democracy. AKP MPs displayed their ‘preferences’ to ministers as they voted in the ballot which pursuant to house regulations and the law should have been conducted in secret. To monitor one AKP MP’s vote, two more MPs went into same cabinet.

THE AKP FACES AN UPHILL STRUGGLE
Despite all the AKP government’s pressure, the AKP and MHP front were only able to surpass 330 by eight votes in the first ballot on constitutional amendment. Based on the number of votes of all AKP MPs and those of the MHP, apart from members who have announced that they will cast a ‘no vote’, there were nine desertions from the ‘yes’ front. There were two abstaining, five blank, one invalid and one rejecting vote.

IT MAY FALL FOUL OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
Open voting grounds for annulment
The Constitutional Court, in its answer to an application made by the CHP in 2010 invoking breach of secret vote, stated, ‘A majority in favour that is valid in conformity with the constitution can only be attained in voting that conforms with the constitution.’ If the AKP keeps up the antics it has performed in the first round, cancellation of the amendment may ensue.