PROVINCIAL RETURNING OFFICES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DECLARATION OF WINNING CANDIDATES BASED ONLY ON FINAL VERIFICATION BY THE PNG ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ELECTIONS RESULTS.

MEDIA STATEMENT

 PROVINCIAL RETURNING OFFICES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DECLARATION OF WINNING CANDIDATES BASED ONLY ON FINAL VERIFICATION BY THE PNG ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ELECTIONS RESULTS.

The official declaration of winning candidates remains directly the responsibility of respective Provincial Returning Officers and Returning Officers.

In the process declarations can only be made following formal verification of the results by the Electoral Commission in Port Moresby.

This was clarified by Electoral Commissioner, Andrew Trawen, in order to dispel purported declarations made of winning candidates especially on the social network and other web pages.

“The procedures on officially declaring winning candidates are clear under our Electoral Laws and that is the only procedure that should be followed,” Mr Trawen said.

“Candidates, their supporters and party leaders have no power under the law to declare a winner from the Elections.

“That power is vested in the Electoral Commission only and declarations are made according to set provisions of the Law.”

At this stage no single declaration has been made as yet.

Mr Trawen said he was confident declarations would be made accordingly as the counting progressed right around the country.

Ends..

APPROVED FOR RELEASE

ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE

ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER