Thirteen election petitions filed

By ELIAS NANAU
THERE are now 13 election petitions filed before the Court of Disputed Returns.
The latest was filed on Tuesday by a losing candidate from the Kompiam-Ambum electorate in Enga, Patrick Balone.
He is challenging the re-election of John Pundari and has named returning officer Romalo Bapu as the first respondent and election manager Henry Kyakas as second respondent.
Two election petitions have been filed by separate losing candidates to challenge the win by William Duma in the Hagen open.
One was filed by former National Gaming Control Board chief executive officer Simon Sanagke and the other by James Yoka Ekip.
Sanagke and Yoka Ekip have named returning officer Gordon Wimb as first respondent, the electoral commission as the second respondent and Duma as third respondent.
Both candidates are representing themselves in court.
In Madang, former army commander Jerry Singirok is challenging the re-election of Ken Fairweather.
He has named Fairweather as first respondent and returning officer Emily Siamoli as the second respondent.
In New Ireland province Walter Schnaubelt, a losing candidate for the Namatanai open seat, is challenging the win by Byron Chan.
And the West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel will face a court challenge filed by losing candidate Chris Legisa.
The application was filed by Legisa’s lawyers at the national court in Kimbe.
A directions hearing date for most cases will be on Sept 19.
The other electorates that are facing election disputes include Ambunti-Dreikikir (East Sepik), Maprik (East Sepik), Gazelle (East New Britain), Manus open and Manus provincial, and Karimui-Nomane (Chimbu) electorates.