Nearly half of Syria''s electorate cast votes -- official

(with photos) DAMASCUS, May 15 (KUNA) -- More than five million Syrian citizens cast their votes in the recent elections for membership in the People's Assembly, said the head of the supreme commission of the elections justice Khalaf Al-Azzawi on Tuesday.
Al-Azzawi, speaking at a news conference, said number of nationals who cast the ballot reached 5.186 million, thus the number of those who actually took part in the electoral process amounted to more than 51 percent.
Number of eligible voters in the nation stands at 10.118 million.
The judge said the polling was held in professional and objective manner, expressing readiness to examine contestations of the results or the methods of the process. He explained that the newly-established supreme constitutional court would receive such complaints.
However, the official refused to answer questions about number of seats Al-Baath party and its allies, or independent figures, won in the elections.
The polls were held on the 7th of last month. Number of the assembly seats amounts to 250. (end) tk.rk KUNA 151224 May 12NNNN