Armenian opposition candidate defends CEC petition challenging election results

The opposition Strong Armenia alliance on Friday formally petitioned the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) to invalidate the results of Sunday’s parliamentary elections, a move it says is necessary before pursuing a challenge in the Constitutional Court.

Aram Vardevanyan, a lawyer and a parliamentary candidate of the alliance, submitted the petition to the CEC and accused the election authorities of tolerating conduct inconsistent with democratic norms.

“The current developments have no place in a democratic society,” Vardevanyan told reporters outside the CEC headquarters.

Addressing questions about why the alliance was applying to the CEC despite its stated intention to appeal to the Constitutional Court, Vardevanyan said the election commission itself has the authority to invalidate election results.

“Failure to seek relief from the CEC could later be cited by the commission during Constitutional Court proceedings,” he said. “The law empowers the CEC to annul election results and we are exercising that legal avenue.”

Vardevanyan argued that the commission is required to assess not only irregularities on election day but also complaints concerning the broader electoral process, which officially began on Feb. 7.

He said the alliance had previously lodged complaints with the CEC over hate speech and the misuse of administrative resources during the campaign, but contended that the commission failed to take meaningful action.

According to Vardevanyan, Strong Armenia subsequently took the matter to the Administrative Court and obtained rulings that documented problems raised in its complaints.

“These are not simply allegations or political assessments” he said. “The issues have been established through court rulings.”