Earthquake zone ready for local polls, says watchdog head

DIYARBAKIR

Supreme Election Council (YSK) head Ahmet Yener has announced that preparations for the upcoming local elections in the earthquake-stricken region of southern Türkiye are complete.

"As of now, our schools and container areas are ready for the elections," Yener told the media in the earthquake-hit city of Diyarbakır on March 7.

Following examinations conducted during the evaluation processes in the area, efforts have been made to address deficiencies and rectify problems in provinces and districts facing issues related to the lack of technical materials and personnel, Yener elaborated.

The earthquake zone visits, initiated in Malatya and concluded in Diyarbakır, aimed to assess the readiness of the affected areas ahead of the municipal elections scheduled for March 31.

Last year's catastrophic earthquakes, which struck 11 provinces, resulted in the loss of over 53,000 lives.

The election watchdog's provincial and district boards last week unveiled the definitive rosters of political parties and independent candidates qualified to participate in the upcoming elections.

In adherence to the outlined schedule, political parties and independent contenders met the Feb. 20 deadline by submitting their nomination rolls to the respective YSK boards.