Turkish electoral authorities on Wednesday began a vote recount of Istanbul districts after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP challenged tallies showing an opposition candidate won a weekend local election.

The AKP won most votes nationwide in Sunday's ballot but results also showed the party lost the capital Ankara and the country's economic hub Istanbul.

AKP officials on Tuesday filed a challenge with electoral authorities saying they had found irregularities and falsifications in ballots in Ankara and Istanbul.

"The district branches of the electoral board in Istanbul decided to recount the ballots in eight districts after the appeals yesterday," Supreme Election Board chief Sadi Guven told reporters.

He said some of the district branches had already started rechecking ballots, most of which were votes that had been rejected as invalid.

AKP officials had said there was a huge discrepancy between ballots cast at polling stations and data sent to election authorities.

Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, was a key prize for Erdogan and he had former premier and loyalist Binali Yildirim run as the party candidate for mayor.

Erdogan, himself a former Istanbul mayor, had campaigned hard in the city. But the ruling party was stung by the economy with Turkey in recession for the first time in a decade and inflation in double digits.

Istanbul was a tight race and both Yildirim and the opposition CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu declared victory when tallies showed them in a dead heat.

Electoral authorities on Monday said Imamoglu was ahead by 28,000 votes with nearly all ballot boxes tallied, prompting AKP officials to challenge to the result.

AKP deputy chairman Ali Ihsan Yavuz on Tuesday claimed the difference had dipped to 20,509 between Imamoglu and Yildirim.

Imamoglu had 48.79 per cent of the votes while Yildirim had 48.52 per cent, Anadolu reported on Tuesday, citing preliminary results.

The agency reported close to 300,000 votes had been annulled in Istanbul voting.

A loss in Istanbul would be especially sensitive for Erdogan, who grew up in the city's working-class Kasimpasa neighbourhood and liked to tell AKP rank-and-file that victory in the city was like winning Turkey.

Turkish electoral authorities on Wednesday began a vote recount of Istanbul districts after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP challenged tallies showing an opposition candidate won a weekend local election.

Turkish electoral authorities on Wednesday began a vote recount of Istanbul districts after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP challenged tallies showing an opposition candidate won a weekend local election. The AKP won most votes nationwide in Sunday's ballot but results also showed the party lost the capital Ankara and the country's economic hub Istanbul. AKP officials on Tuesday filed a challenge with electoral authorities saying they had found irregularities and falsifications in ballots in Ankara and Istanbul. "The district branches of the electoral board in Istanbul decided to recount the ballots in eight districts after the appeals yesterday," Supreme Election Board chief Sadi Guven told reporters. He said some of the district branches had already started rechecking ballots, most of which were votes that had been rejected as invalid. AKP officials had said there was a huge discrepancy between ballots cast at polling stations and data sent to election authorities. Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, was a key prize for Erdogan and he had former premier and loyalist Binali Yildirim run as the party candidate for mayor. Erdogan, himself a former Istanbul mayor, had campaigned hard in the city. But the ruling party was stung by the economy with Turkey in recession for the first time in a decade and inflation in double digits. Istanbul was a tight race and both Yildirim and the opposition CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu declared victory when tallies showed them in a dead heat. Electoral authorities on Monday said Imamoglu was ahead by 28,000 votes with nearly all ballot boxes tallied, prompting AKP officials to challenge to the result. AKP deputy chairman Ali Ihsan Yavuz on Tuesday claimed the difference had dipped to 20,509 between Imamoglu and Yildirim. Imamoglu had 48.79 per cent of the votes while Yildirim had 48.52 per cent, Anadolu reported on Tuesday, citing preliminary results. The agency reported close to 300,000 votes had been annulled in Istanbul voting. A loss in Istanbul would be especially sensitive for Erdogan, who grew up in the city's working-class Kasimpasa neighbourhood and liked to tell AKP rank-and-file that victory in the city was like winning Turkey.

Turkey election council orders Istanbul recount after ruling party appeal

An FIR has been filed against sitting BJP MLA Sanjay Patil by electoral authorities for violating the model code of conduct by exploiting religious sentiments, an official said.

The Model Code of Conduct flying squad for the May 12 assembly polls filed the FIR" on Thursday night, its nodal officer Roogi said.

Patil had violated the model code of conduct by exploiting religious sentiments through his speech, he added.

In a potentially controversial remark, Patil had said that electoral contest in Karnataka was "not about roads and drinking water, but Hindu and Muslim religions".

Patil, Belagavi (Rural) MLA and BJP candidate, is seen making the purported remarks in a video shot in his constituency.

It was not known when the video, which went viral, was shot.

"This election is not about roads, drainage or drinking water. This election is about Hindu and Muslim religions," he told the crowd.

"Keeping a hand on my chest I say loudly, this is Bharat, this is the country of Hindus and this is the country where (Lord) Ram was born. We are prepared to do anything to construct Ram mandir in Ayodhya," Patil purportedly said in the footage.

Patil also told the crowd that the Congress favoured constructing a mosque in Ayodhya instead of a Ram temple.

The Model Code of Conduct flying squad for the May 12 assembly polls filed the FIR" on Thursday night, its nodal officer Roogi said.

An FIR has been filed against sitting BJP MLA Sanjay Patil by electoral authorities for violating the model code of conduct by exploiting religious sentiments, an official said. The Model Code of Conduct flying squad for the May 12 assembly polls filed the FIR" on Thursday night, its nodal officer Roogi said. Patil had violated the model code of conduct by exploiting religious sentiments through his speech, he added. In a potentially controversial remark, Patil had said that electoral contest in Karnataka was "not about roads and drinking water, but Hindu and Muslim religions". Patil, Belagavi (Rural) MLA and BJP candidate, is seen making the purported remarks in a video shot in his constituency. It was not known when the video, which went viral, was shot. "This election is not about roads, drainage or drinking water. This election is about Hindu and Muslim religions," he told the crowd. "Keeping a hand on my chest I say loudly, this is Bharat, this is the country of Hindus and this is the country where (Lord) Ram was born. We are prepared to do anything to construct Ram mandir in Ayodhya," Patil purportedly said in the footage. Patil also told the crowd that the Congress favoured constructing a mosque in Ayodhya instead of a Ram temple.

FIR filed against BJP candidate for exploiting religious sentiments: Official

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