Opposition Wants CEC to Annul Polls at 12 Precincts

The nine-party opposition bloc has alleged “grave violations” at 12 polling stations, including in the Sagarejo, Khoni, Khashuri and Signagi provincial constituencies and demanded cancellation of elections at those stations.

“Our representatives at the polling stations in Sagarejo district [precincts number 46; 45; 35; 36] have been physically assaulted,” Davit Gamkrelidze, the New Rights Party leader, who is the nine-party bloc’s campaign head, said at a news conference at 10am local time – two hours after the polls opened. He also alleged ballot stuffing at those stations.

Zurab Kachkachishvili, the CEC spokesman, said at a news conference at 9am, an hour after the polls opened, that the only incident reported so far occurred at the polling station number 37 of Sagarejo provincial constituency. He said precinct election commission members scuffled with each other, “but the incident is now already resolved and polls are underway in a normal conditions everywhere.”

Meanwhile, local election observer organizations said that no major violation have been reported by their observers at polling stations.

ISFED and Transparency International-Georgia said two hours after the polls opened, that problems have been reported in connection with lack of ballot papers in number of polling stations.