NEC to Open Ballot Packages for Election Result Verification

Cambodia (Kohker) – The National Election Committee (NEC) has issued a notification inviting national and international journalists and election observers to observe the opening of some Safety Packages “A” for verification of election results in Kratie constituency.

The opening of the packages would be done at the NEC’s headquarters in Phnom Penh on Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 7:40 a.m., said the notification released on Friday.

The Safety Packages “A” contains original data on ballot count and ballot sheets collected from polling stations on the polling day.

After reviewing complaints against preliminary results of last month’s parliamentary election, the Constitutional Council on Friday ordered the NEC to open 13 packages from 13 polling stations in Svay Chhrum commune, Kratie constituency in order to investigate and verify the opposition party’s claims of irregularities.  

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party on the same day released a statement welcoming the Constitutional Council‘s decision and urged the council to allow observers from the opposition party, as well as from independent Cambodian and international groups, to monitor the opening of the packages, which it said should be a “transparent process” done in a way that will reassure voters and allow both parties to recognize the results.

According to the preliminary results announced by the NEC, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party has won 68 of the 123 seats in the National Assembly, against 55 for the CNRP, but the opposition party claimed it had won 63 seats. The election dispute between the two parties has caused Cambodia to plunge into a political deadlock, as the opposition party warns to hold mass protests and the government has deployed armed forces and armored personnel carriers in the Phnom Penh capital and its surrounding provinces.