Few more questions for the Electoral Commission

THE Electoral Commission seems to have an answer to every election related queries.
Some of the events that have unfolded in parts of SHP and Enga in the face of a boastful unarmed security force are appalling.
What does the EC has to say on some of the issues we have read so far in the papers?
1. Supporters of candidates fronting up with guns against unarmed security officers and making off with ballot boxes and papers and marked the papers themselves. Are those votes still valid?
2. Hijacking of polling booths and polling officials giving in to bribes and ballot papers marked for a particular candidate. Are those votes valid?
3. Engans discarded the common roll and allow a representative to vote on a clan’s behalf. Are their votes still valid and is it democracy in practice?
The so-called law professor of the EC needs to explain these issues.
If he has the same answer as what he gave with regard to Paias Wingti’s fake ballot papers scandal, he’s got to be joking.
All he would have done is to encourage other Highlands provinces to follow suit and flood the courts of dispute returns with unnecessary cases after the elections.

John Kumanbia
Sydney

Journey to Paradise

Copyright © 2003 [The National Online] Private Policy