Following the
1919 general elections, the newly elected
Parliament convened in
Istanbul on 12 January 1920. However, its approval of the
Misak-ı Millî (National Pact) led to Allied forces
occupying the city on 16 March. Several MPs were arrested and deported. Sultan
Mehmed VI dissolved Parliament on 11 April. After Istanbul was occupied, Mustafa Kemal, the leader of the
Turkish National Movement, sent a telegram to the provincial administrations and army commanders on 19 March as the head of the
Committee of Representation, asking them to hold elections for the Grand National Assembly and to complete the elections within 15 days. • A parliament with extraordinary powers shall be convened in
Ankara to manage and supervise the affairs of the country • The persons to be elected as members of this assembly shall be subject to the provisions of the law relating to members of parliament • Elections shall be based on
sanjaks • Five members shall be elected from each sanjak • The elections shall be completed within fifteen days at the latest in such a way as to ensure a majority in Ankara The circular also stated that the participation of the members of the last
Chamber of Deputies, which had been disbanded, who could come to Ankara was obligatory. The circular differed from the
electoral law that was in effect from the
1908 elections until the
1943 elections. The principle of electing deputies based on population was abandoned and five members were to be elected from each sanjak regardless of population. The election age, which had been set at 30 as per the
1876 Constitution, was lowered to 25 with the circular. Due to the extraordinary circumstances, the circular determined a special election method as in the 1877 elections. ==Aftermath==