Syria Vote Counting Delayed by Reruns
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Vote counting was under way Tuesday in Syria after reruns in five polling stations delayed the results of parliamentary polls.
The reruns of Sunday's vote were held Monday in four polling centers in Aleppo province and one in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor, the official SANA news agency said.
The fresh polling was ordered by the electoral commission after suspected discrepancies were reported between the number of cast ballots and the number of registered voters.
More than 7,000 polling stations opened across Syria, including for the first time in former opposition strongholds, in the third such polls since the foreign-backed war started nine years ago.
Several lists were allowed to run across the country to compete over parliament's 250 seats.
The elections were twice postponed from April due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has infected 522 people and killed 29 in government-held areas, according to official figures.
Portraits of the contenders have been displayed across the capital for weeks, with the 1,658 candidates, including several prominent businessmen.
Many candidates are running on pledges to tackle sharp inflation and improve infrastructure ravaged by the conflict.
The next presidential polls are expected in 2021, and potential candidates will need the written approval of at least 35 members of parliament.
