Political battle rages in Iran over record low voter turnout
24 February 2004
Channel News Asia, Singapore
TEHRAN : A political battle in Iran over the record low voter turnout in controversial parliamentary elections continued to rage, with the interior ministry hitting back at conservatives' allegations it was seeking to discredit their win.
The reformist-run ministry, responsible for organising Friday's polls and overseeing the vote count, put turnout at 28 percent in Tehran and 50.57 percent nationwide -- the lowest for a major election in the 25-year history of the Islamic republic.
This was contested by the hardline Guardians Council, a political oversight body that virtually guaranteed conservatives a win by disqualifying most reformist candidates. Along with the conservative press, it put turnout at a more respectable 60 percent.
The interior ministry responded in a statement by pointing to a "lack of information and negligence" and "propaganda" by its critics.
Rather than contesting the number of people who had voted, conservatives had questioned the number of eligible voters.
Voter turnout became a key issue in the polls, with many viewing participation as an indication of public support for the regime.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/72505/1/.html