Source: Rolls may miss poll deadline

By JEFFREY ELAPA
THE electoral rolls for the general election are unlikely to be finalised before the writs are issued in April, according to a reliable source.
The source, close to the Electoral Commission, reveals that many irregularities have been identified which need to be corrected.
Voter enrolment and data processing are also well behind schedule while many eligible voters have not been registered because official enrolment forms had run out in some areas.
There are reports from Mendi that common roll forms are openly sold at K150 for a bundle of 50 forms.
The forms are being used to fill in ghost names in some areas while numbers have been reduced in the strongholds of sitting members of parliament.  
The source says in some places, numbers of eligible voters have been inflated while names in other places have been omitted.
The source says if the rolls cannot be completed on time, the 2007 rolls may be used because by law, the election cannot be deferred.
Also by law, (organic law on national and local level government elections), the electoral rolls cannot be altered or updated once the writs are issued.
It means that if the rolls are not completed before the writs are issued in April, some people will be denied the right to examine them and make objections. In addition, there will also be not enough time to make alterations.
Attempts yesterday to get a comment from Election Commissioner Andrew Trawen were unsuccessful. But he recently said the rolls should be ready by this month.
The source also points out that Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s plan to call for early election as a solution to the political impasse is just impossible because the rolls are far from complete.
While many irregularities identified need to be addressed, data entry is also being done at a “snail’s pace”.
“A lot of work is yet to be done and it is a concern for the commission, although the Commissioner believes otherwise,” the source says.
Only a few of the rolls for the 89 districts could be completed ahead of the issue of writs on April 27 for all 22 provinces.
“Imagine if it has taken four months to complete the Daulo district rolls, how many months will it take for the other 36 districts in the Highlands?” he said.
If the rolls are completed by February, then the whole of March will be allowed for public scrutiny before the writs are issued in April.