The National Election Committee has requested the government level “administrative punishment” against two local authorities and a pair of school administrators who violated electoral procedures, including faking election documents, according to a statement released yesterday.

In a letter to the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, the NEC alleges that the deputy chief of Kohe village in Kampong Cham’s Prek Koy commune promised gifts to CPP voters, while the commune chief in Siem Reap’s Svay Dangkum commune faked voter documents.

The NEC also cited the vice principal of Kdol Tahen primary school in Battambang’s Bavel district and the principal of Khum Takok primary school located in Siem Reap’s Sotr Nikum district as, “allow[ing] a political party to campaign in public school compounds.”

“Now that [the election] is finished, we can urge ministries … to follow the law,” said Tep Nytha, secretary general of the NEC.

Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, told the Post yesterday that he had not yet received the NEC’s letter, but that the ministry would investigate the charges and take administrative action if necessary.

“Administrative punishments could include rebukes, withholding promotion or salary … and could lead to dismissal,” he said, adding that he was not familiar with the specifics in the NEC’s letter.

Sok Kimseng, deputy chief of the CNRP working group in Siem Reap, filed the case against the Svay Dangkum commune chief, alleging that official forged public documents by including fake names and pictures for CPP voters while losing the names of real voters.

“In the case of the commune chief, he has committed an administrative and a criminal offense by faking public documents, and [we] would like the ministry to apply strict punishment,” Sok Kimseng said.

According to the ministry spokesman, faking public documents can incur between six months and five years imprisonment.