The National Election Committee denied a long list of Sam Rainsy Party complaints Tuesday, minimizing the opposition’s chances of staging another round of voting in Siem Reap and Svay Rieng provinces.
Sam Rainsy Party official Sar Phhoumra said he would appeal the cases to the Constitutional Council.
“It’s very unjust. If the NEC opens the boxes back up, it will show the commune election committee’s inability [to fairly count votes],” he said.
He admitted that a recount would not lend the opposition party more seats but would reveal the NEC’s unfair acceptance of torn CPP ballots in Kien Sangke commune and Chan Sar commune in Svay Nikom district, Siem Reap province.
Sar Phhoumra also complained that party agents were barred from entering polling stations for the counting process in Tram Sarsar commune, Srei Snam district, Siem Reap. The NEC dismissed the case without explanation.
The opposition party demanded a recount in Sarsar Sdorm commune, Puok district and Kien Sangke commune, Svay Nikom district, because commune election officials allegedly counted the ballots too fast. In Kien Sangke commune, polling station officials allegedly threatened to call a guard if party agents stood too close to the polling room, Sar Phhoumra said.
Siem Reap provincial election committee Director Keo So said a Sam Rainsy Party agent sat close to the polling station officer and could clearly see the counting process. He called the claims groundless. The NEC rejected the case.
Sar Phhoumra said his party agents endorsed all voting and vote-counting processes without realizing the significance of their signatures. He said agents endorsed vote tally sheets to record their presence at the count.
Also on Tuesday, the NEC rejected a Sam Rainsy Party complaint from Svay Rieng after discrepancies between two tally sheets were reconciled, NEC spokesman Leng Sochea said.
The NEC will consider no more complaints than the 23 that were filed on Monday night, he said.
to prevent voting irregularities from weighing against the party
