Iranian government extends voting time

Mostafa-Mohammad-NajjarTehran, June 14 (IANS) As millions of Iranians were casting their ballots for the presidential election at over 60,000 polling stations Friday, the government announced the voting time would be extended.

Of some 75 million Iranians about 50.5 million are eligible to cast their ballots in the presidential election, which was due to end at 6.00 p. m. (1.30 p. m. GMT). Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar later announced that voting time would be extended, possibly by several hours, BBC reported.

Ballot counting was still expected to start at midnight local time and results were due to be announced in the following 24 hours.

The election will decide a successor to outgoing leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The minister also told state TV that presidential candidates would have three days to lodge complaints to the vetting body, the Guardian Council, if they were unhappy with the result.