JUBA, Sudan, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) on Monday filed a complaint to the National Elections Commission (NEC) in south Sudan over violations in the elections there.

"From the first day of the polling there were grave violations, where the people responsible of committing those violations meant to cripple the electoral process," said Agnes Lokudo, secretary of NCP south Sudan sector, at a press conference here.

"Since the first day we have been observing the electoral process. Grave violations occurred today and yesterday. We have filed a complaint to the elections commission in this respect and we will wait for its response," she added.

She explained that the violations included arrest of NCP representatives and five observers at Kuwaji district, expulsion of observers from the polling stations at Yerkaka, and forcing the voters to vote for the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) at Yae river district.
She added that there were polling stations which are run by SPLM members in complete absence of voters' lists.

The SPLM governs south Sudan in accordance of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), inked between north and south Sudan in January 2005.

More than 16 million Sudanese voters, including 4 million in the south, started casting their votes on Sunday to choose their representatives for the presidency, state governors, the president of southern Sudan and legislative councils.