Trawen may be forced to extend again
The eighth national election is scheduled to end on the 27th July. That is the date set by the Governor General, Sir Michael Ogio for the writs to be returned to him.
The Organic Law on the National and Local Level Government Elections (OLNLLGE) is specific on the issue and return of writs. Under Section 80, subsection 1, it specifies that the “date fixed for the return of writs shall not be more than 21 days after end of polling period”.
If we were to go by the initial schedule, polling should have ended on 6th July, which was six days ago but the Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen was forced to extend the polling by several more days to allow polling to be completed around the country.
Eastern Highlands became the last province to complete polling yesterday, so if we are to go by the law, the writs should be returned to the Head of State on the1st of August, thus bringing an end to the 2012 national elections.
We have three more weeks before the writs are returned but Mr Trawen may be forced again to extend the election period, this time for the return of writs, using the provision under subsection 2 of the OLNLLGE. This provision allows Mr Trawen to do that under special circumstance.
We are all aware that this election got underway after much debate in the country. The key issue in the debate was over the preparedness of the PNG Electoral Commission to conduct the elections. The Parliament and the executive government of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill were at loggerheads over this issue and it threatened to bring down Mr O’Neill as Prime Minister.
To bring the debate to an end and get the elections rolling, Mr Trawen postponed the date for the issue of writs by three weeks to the 17th May. The rest is history and the counting of votes have started and so far three seats have been declared already.
The counting of votes are continuing in many provinces and others that have not started are expected to do so this week but all is not smooth sailing in the counting centres around the country.
We are getting reports that the counting have been stopped for hours or even days because candidates and their supporters are not happy over various issues. Some have even lodged their complains in the Courts or the PNGEC to stop the counting.
We are afraid that if the disruptions continue, the counting may not be completed in the time provided under the law and Mr Trawen may be forced to extend the election period again.
When that happens, the new Parliament may not meet quickly to form a new Government and the cost of the elections may blow out.
It is also true that the majority of our people have cast their votes and they are anxiously waiting to know the outcome of the polling but they are going to be kept in suspense for a long time.
They want to see a quick end to the election and it is important that the PNGEC must put its foot down on these complains and tell the disgruntle candidates and their supporters to take whatever issues they have to the Court of Disputed Returns after the election.
The eighth national election is scheduled to end on the 27th July. That is the date set by the Governor General, Sir Michael Ogio for the writs to be returned to him.
The Organic Law on the National and Local Level Government Elections (OLNLLGE) is specific on the issue and return of writs. Under Section 80, subsection 1, it specifies that the “date fixed for the return of writs shall not be more than 21 days after end of polling period”.
If we were to go by the initial schedule, polling should have ended on 6th July, which was six days ago but the Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen was forced to extend the polling by several more days to allow polling to be completed around the country.
Eastern Highlands became the last province to complete polling yesterday, so if we are to go by the law, the writs should be returned to the Head of State on the1st of August, thus bringing an end to the 2012 national elections.
We have three more weeks before the writs are returned but Mr Trawen may be forced again to extend the election period, this time for the return of writs, using the provision under subsection 2 of the OLNLLGE. This provision allows Mr Trawen to do that under special circumstance.
We are all aware that this election got underway after much debate in the country. The key issue in the debate was over the preparedness of the PNG Electoral Commission to conduct the elections. The Parliament and the executive government of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill were at loggerheads over this issue and it threatened to bring down Mr O’Neill as Prime Minister.
To bring the debate to an end and get the elections rolling, Mr Trawen postponed the date for the issue of writs by three weeks to the 17th May. The rest is history and the counting of votes have started and so far three seats have been declared already.
The counting of votes are continuing in many provinces and others that have not started are expected to do so this week but all is not smooth sailing in the counting centres around the country.
We are getting reports that the counting have been stopped for hours or even days because candidates and their supporters are not happy over various issues. Some have even lodged their complains in the Courts or the PNGEC to stop the counting.
We are afraid that if the disruptions continue, the counting may not be completed in the time provided under the law and Mr Trawen may be forced to extend the election period again.
When that happens, the new Parliament may not meet quickly to form a new Government and the cost of the elections may blow out.
It is also true that the majority of our people have cast their votes and they are anxiously waiting to know the outcome of the polling but they are going to be kept in suspense for a long time.
They want to see a quick end to the election and it is important that the PNGEC must put its foot down on these complains and tell the disgruntle candidates and their supporters to take whatever issues they have to the Court of Disputed Returns after the election.
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