PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) – The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) says the results of the legislative and first round presidential elections will be known on Thursday.

“Publication of the results have been postponed until [Thursday] to take into account all of the complaints that have been received,” CEP President Pierre-Louis Opont told the Miami Herald newspaper.

Last Friday he had told reporters that the election results would have been known on November 3.

Last week, the special anti-fraud Commission established by the CEP following the October 25 polls said it had received 162 complaints.

The five-member Commission has, among others, to receive documented complaints of fraud and ballot stuffing, to ensure consideration by the Votes Tabulation Center (CTV) of complaints that it has received and archive the reports of corrections made by the CTV auditors.

The Commission said it would inform the public of the findings of the auditors who will examine the complaints.

At least 800 workers and 28 lawyers have been at the vote-tabulation centre reviewing tally sheets from the 13,275 polling stations from around the country and Prime Minister Paul Evans Paul has appealed for calm as the country awaits the outcome of the elections to choose a new parliament and a replacement for President Michael Martelly, who is barred by the constitution from seeking a third consecutive term.

There were 54 candidates contesting the presidency, including the government-backed candidate Jovenel Moise and opposition candidates Jude Célestin, Moise Jean-Charles, and Dr Maryse Narcisse.

The Director of the National Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace (JILAP), Jocelyne Colas Noël, has criticised some of the candidates who are already claiming victory without the release of the official results.

She said the statements were “irresponsible,” adding “it is to the CEP to announce the results”.