Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said the Central Elections Committee's decision to bar party representatives from reporting who has voted is a 'whimsical ruling' that undermines the ability of parties, especially right-wing voters not organized in Kaplan headquarters, to mobilize supporters. Karhi vowed to 'obtain the information by any means possible,' adding that the decision 'will not be implemented in the field.'
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi vowed tonight (Tuesday) to bypass the Central Elections Committee's ban on party representatives reporting voter identities, calling the decision a 'whimsical ruling' that harms right-wing voters. Karhi said the committee's directive 'will not be implemented in the field' and that he would 'obtain the information by any means possible.'
The ban was imposed earlier today by committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg at 17:23 Jerusalem, as first reported by Israeli media and later by The Zioneer at 17:41. The prohibition initially targeted party representatives using incentive apps, and was later extended to include polling committee members and observers. Likud, Shas, and United Torah Judaism responded by arguing that the practice does not violate the law. Sohlberg cited privacy concerns for the decision.
The dispute is the latest in a series of tensions between the coalition and the judiciary. As The Zioneer reported on July 29, Sohlberg previously called on parties to ensure equal media access for all outlets. Karhi himself, on June 21, accused the High Court of intending to nullify general election results if it disapproves of their outcome.
It remains unclear whether the committee's directive will be enforced. Karhi's threat to bypass the ban raises the prospect of legal clashes at polling stations as the November election approaches.
9 developments
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Source and signal
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