Manase files reference to challenge stay on LLG polls

MINISTER of Justice and Attorney-General Alfred Manase has filed a Supreme Court reference seeking to intervene and set aside an order by the Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika to stay the local level government election process.
Sir Gibbs on April 25 ruled that a reference filed by the Ombudsman Commission on the legality of the LLG elections should be heard and determined first before the election process could start.
The matter appeared before a three-man bench consisting of Justices Derek Hartshorn, Joseph Yagi and Ere Kariko in the Waigani Supreme Court on Friday for directions.
The reference by the attorney-general is subject to approval by the court to hear an application by the Electoral Commission (EC) to discharge the stay orders.
The EC’s application will be heard among others on Thursday.
The court ordered that all submissions were to be filed and served among them by close of business tomorrow.