EC lawyer: Polye can attend parliament

DON Polye can still enter Parliament today as Kandep MP although the National Court is yet to declare the outcome of a recent recounting of votes.
Electoral Commission lawyer Ray William said this yesterday when asked to comment on the declaration and Polye’s status.
“At this stage, he is still a member of Parliament until we sort out the recount issues,” William told The National.
“There’s nothing stopping him from attending parliament. We will have to take the (recount) results back to court, hopefully by Friday, and the court will have to give a date for the hearing.
“When we are given a hearing date, we will appear before the court, and the court will make its decision (on the winner of the recount).
“It’s the National Court, not the Supreme Court. We went through the recount and it’s just the presentation of the results now.
“That’s the one that we are trying to take through the courts this week.
“I’m hopeful that we can put through everything by Friday this week.”
William explained that although the Supreme Court ordered the recount, results should go back to the National Court – which heard the petition trial – for declaration.
Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said recently it was now up to the Supreme Court to declare the winner of the Kandep recount as it was a court-ordered recount.