EC can address Kandep’s counting issues: Polye

National

UNSEATED Kandep MP Don Polye says the issues that occurred in the counting room for the  Kandep open seat can be addressed by the electoral commissioner using his powers instead of going to the Court of Disputed Return.
In a media conference on Friday in Port Moresby, Polye said though the Court of Disputed Returns was there to address such issues, for the Kandep situation it was completely different to any other petition that might be addressed through the courts.
“The perceptions that the Court of Disputed Return is always there to address the issues and the electoral commission hiding behind the Court of Disputed Returns power which has the only means to addressing those kinds of issues and not making a decision or exercising its powers under the constitution is wrong,” Polye said.
“The electoral commission has all the powers to making the decision under circumstances that give him that guide to making appropriate decision using his powers.
“We do not need to burden the Court of Disputed Returns with all kinds of petitions when certain grievances can be adequately addressed by the electoral commissioner.
“The electoral commission’s role in any electorate is to ensure that all the good boxes and ballot papers are counted.
“But for the Kandep case, seven good ballot boxes containing a total of about 8000 votes that need to be counted were not counted by the electoral commission officials at the counting room.”
Polye said boxes for Enga regional for these seven polling booths were counted whereas the seven boxes for the Kandep open were not counted.