Case challenging PM’s election adjourned until Oct 7

A COURT has adjourned to Oct 7 for parties in a reference challenging the constitutionality of the election of Prime Minister James Marape to know their standing in the proceedings.
Justice Derek Hartshorn in the Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the proceedings instituted by Opposition Leader Belden Namah to deal with papers under the new practice direction.
Justice Hartshorn informed parties to finalise everything before Oct 7 when he would decide on what was going to happen next during a status conference on the date.
Namah had filed the reference last Sept 23 following the withdrawal of an identical reference by then-opposition leader Patrick Pruaitch when he moved to join the Government.
The reference seeks a legal interpretation of the election of Marape as prime minister on May 30, 2019 following the ousting of former prime minister Peter O’Neill.
The Supreme Court reference seeks specific interpretation of whether or not O’Neill’s withdrawal of his own nomination for prime minister instead of the nominator was unconstitutional.