Lagaip polling deferred

By REBECCA KUKU
POLLING for the Lagaip Open electorate has been deferred to the end of the month to allow for students in the district to sit for their grade eight exams, an official says.
Electoral commissioner Simon Sinai said polling had been deferred as the polling schedule has clashed with the examinations.
Sinai said he had written to the Lagaip returning officer George Puio directing him to exercise his powers under Sec 19 and 115 of the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections and Section 5 (1)(c) of the Electoral Law (National Elections) Regulation 2007 and defer the polling for the Lagaip Open to Oct 31.
“The elections and the exams are both important, but with exams starting today (yesterday), it takes precedence and we are therefore deferring the polling to Oct 31.
“Many of the grade eight students who will be sitting their exams have also reached the voting age, and have also registered to vote in this by-election and their right to vote must also be respected,” Sinai said.
“The deferral will also give our grade eight students from the electorate peace of mind when they sit their exams without adding any other forms of stress.”