Former parliamentary candidate inquiries about polling station staff eligibility

Michalis Nikiforou, a former parliamentary candidate in Nicosia representing the 'Alma – Citizens for Cyprus' movement, has sent a formal inquiry to the Chief Returning Officer. The request seeks clarification regarding the rules of incompatibility during the appointment of presiding officers and assistants for the recent legislative elections. Nikiforou specifically asks if legislation or official circulars explicitly prohibit the appointment of a candidate's spouse to such positions. Furthermore, he inquires whether a comprehensive verification process was conducted to identify any family relationships between all 753 candidates and the election staff. The applicant requests details on the procedures followed and the number of disqualifications or appointment cancellations that occurred. He emphasizes that this issue is critical given the potential impact of individual ballot boxes on seat allocation. Nikiforou stated that his inquiry does not aim to challenge the overall election results but seeks to ensure equal application of electoral rules across all cases.