Ahmad Jannati, the Secretary of the Guardian Council, responded to statements from individuals such as Hassan Rouhani, the President, and Ali Motahari, a member of parliament, regarding the claim that only the parliament can decide on the qualifications of elected representatives after elections. On Wednesday, May 22, Jannati stated, "Some claim that after voting, only the parliament can refuse to validate the credentials of an unqualified individual. This claim not only contradicts the supervisory oversight before entering the parliament but history also does not show that any credentials have been rejected in the parliament except for one case." According to Fars News Agency, the Secretary of the Guardian Council said that "by the testimony of history," the examination of representatives' credentials in the Islamic Consultative Assembly "is a place for bargaining and trading." The Guardian Council of the Constitution states that its oversight over the parliamentary elections is such that it can not only disqualify candidates before elections but can also do so after elections. With this reasoning, the Guardian Council rejected the qualifications of Minou Khalighi, the third elected representative of Isfahan in the 10th Islamic Consultative Assembly, after the elections and declared her votes invalid. The Secretary of this council also mentioned in his speech on Wednesday that "the Guardian Council's supervisory oversight is general and at all stages" and regarding the disqualification of elected representatives after elections, he stated: "This action has a precedent regarding an individual whose educational degree was found to be invalid after winning the vote, and the Guardian Council annulled the elections." Meanwhile, Hassan Rouhani's government states that Ms. Khalighi is recognized as the elected representative of Isfahan. Rouhani has emphasized that after the elections, only the parliament can decide on the credentials of a representative. Ali Motahari, a representative from Tehran in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, shares the same view and has requested the Ministry of Interior to issue Ms. Khalighi's credentials.
Jannati: The Guardian Council Can Disqualify Candidates After Elections
Ahmad Jannati, Secretary of the Guardian Council, asserts that the council can disqualify candidates even after elections, contradicting claims from President Rouhani and MP Ali Motahari that only the parliament has this authority. This issue is significant as it highlights ongoing tensions between the Guardian Council and elected officials regarding electoral oversight and legitimacy.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Ahmad Jannati stated that the Guardian Council has the authority to disqualify candidates even after elections, contradicting claims from President Rouhani and MP Ali Motahari that only the parliament can do so. This has led to a dispute over the legitimacy of elected representatives.
- The Guardian Council disqualified Minou Khalighi after she was elected, declaring her votes invalid.
- Jannati argued that historical precedent supports the Guardian Council's authority to oversee qualifications at all stages.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
In Iran, the Guardian Council has significant authority over elections, including candidate vetting and disqualification, leading to tensions with elected officials who advocate for parliamentary sovereignty.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%