Supreme Court Questions Election Committee Chair's Ballot Reporting Ban

Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed significant doubts regarding the authority of the Central Elections Committee chairman, Justice Noam Sohlberg, to unilaterally ban parties from reporting real-time voter turnout from polling stations. During a hearing on petitions against Sohlberg's decision, the justices indicated that the authority to make such a ruling might lie with the full committee, not just its chair.

The court suggested referring the matter back to the entire Central Elections Committee for deliberation. This move could potentially overturn Sohlberg's decision, which the Likud party has vehemently opposed, calling it a "disaster" for the elections. The justices noted the difficulty in the matter of authority, stating, "In our opinion, the issue of authority is difficult for us. We do not think the committee chair has full authority, but rather the entire committee, as attorney Bombach said."

Furthermore, the court questioned the prosecution's role, noting the apparent conflict of interest in representing opposing stances from the Attorney General, Sohlberg, and the Elections Committee itself. The justices proposed that the full committee should discuss the issue, adding, "We suggest that the Elections Committee discuss the matter, and if there is no agreement, we will issue an order nisi." However, any decision made by the full committee could still be subject to further appeal at the Supreme Court.

Attorney Ilan Bombach, representing the Likud, stated at the beginning of the hearing that Sohlberg's decision was "a disaster" and "destroys the elections" for the party. The committee's decision, if upheld, would prevent parties from providing live updates on who has voted and who has not, a practice that has been common in previous elections.