The National Election Commission (NEC) has apologized for the alleged poor management of early voting operations for the March 9 presidential election.

The NEC said in a statement on Sunday that it was very sorry and regretful for having caused inconveniences for COVID-19 patients who visited polling stations to cast ballots on Saturday.

The NEC pledged to swiftly produce special measures to ensure the suffrage of COVID-19 patients on election day, Wednesday.

The NEC, however, strongly rejected the possibility of any election irregularities from the poor management, saying that the voting process at the polling stations were in accordance with law and regulations and the entire process proceeded with election monitors in attendance.

The NEC said it applied the same process for those in quarantine during the early voting period of the 2020 general elections and last year's by-elections, but there were some faults in the management of this year's early voting for COVID-19 patients due to a significant rise in voters and lack of management officials and facilities.

The two-day early voting period ended Saturday with a record turnout of 36-point-93 percent.

COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine reportedly complained about long waiting times at the polling stations and raised concerns about possible electoral fraud as their ballots were collected in boxes or shopping bags instead of regular ballot boxes.