Radio Australia
MORE THAN 100 CANDIDATES who failed to win seats in Papua New Guinea's national elections are challenging the results in court.
Some of unsuccessful candidates are claiming that PNG election officials failed to enrol eligible voters, did not conduct polling in designated areas, or were bribed by winning candidates.
A total of 101 petitions disputing the result have been lodged with PNG’s National Court registry.
Justice Collin Makail is managing the cases and has warned petitioners and their lawyers to keep to election petition rules.
He says cases could be thrown out, if they do not comply with the law and petitioners must have facts to advance their cases.
Some of unsuccessful candidates are claiming that PNG election officials failed to enrol eligible voters, did not conduct polling in designated areas, or were bribed by winning candidates.
Some of the winning MPs have reportedly gone into hiding to avoid receiving the petitions.
Formal directions hearings for most of the cases should start by the end of this month, but it could take two to three years for a final decision.
Most of the petitioners are asking for a recount of ballots to nullify the results or for by-elections in their electorates.
Thanks for the updates. I call on Mathew Minape and Sandy Talita, the losing candidates who are disputing the re-election of the Enga Governor Hon Peter Ipatas into Parliament for his 3rd term, to stop.
This is his 19th year in Parliament.
People of Enga love this man. And in elections he wins with big margins. These candidates should now go back and accumulate money for the election.
One has to go back to Port Moresby where he has business and the other has to go back and work in his small contracts in PNGLNG sites in Southern Highlands and Hela Provinces.
Leave the Action Governor alone. We are proud that 4 young Engans are on 18-months aircraft pilot training in Australia under with MOU signed with Airlines PNG last year. Another 4 in the next 18 months.
This one of the many initiatives of the Enga Governor. It takes so many years to reach where he is.
Posted by: Kaiam Mono | 15 September 2012 at 04:12 PM