ANKARA – Polling for presidential and parliamentary elections is underway in Turkey on Sunday in which more than 64.1 million voters are expected to exercise their right.
The voting, which began at 8 a.m. local time (0500GMT), will end at 5 p.m. (1400GMT). Of the total electorate, 4.9 million people will vote for the first time. For the bed-ridden people, mobile ballot boxes have been created, Anadolu agency reported.
The electorate will choose between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is in power since 20 years and main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who represents an election coalition of six opposition parties.
During campaigning, Erdogan’s political rivals have been denouncing his response to the devastating February 6 quake and his failure to contain skyrocketting inflation.
Erdogan was seen stretching poll rules as he addressed worshippers during Saturday evening prayers in Istanbul, BBC reported.
Around 24 political parties and 151 independent parliamentary candidates are in the fray for the polls. -IANS
