Breaches likely to see LLG elections cancelled
THE Electoral Commission is seriously considering options available under the law to cancel and fail the 2013 local level government elections in violence ridden areas in the Highlands.
Chief Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen indicated this in a media statement last Friday that pressure is mounting on the EC to exercise its powers under the Organic Law on National and LLG elections to take appropriate action on LLGs and electorates in the Highlands where undemocratic and illegal activities in recent days and weeks have jeopardised the theme of free, fair and safe elections.
The most likely action that would be taken by the Commission is to cancel the LLG polls in the affected LLGs, electorates and provinces and withdraw the election writs under Section 96A Part XIA (Election Cancellations and Failure) of the Organic Law on National and Local-level Governments.
Mr Trawen said provinces that are in the media limelight for serious breach of elections laws include Southern Highlands, Western Highlands and Jiwaka provinces – all in the Highlands region.
He said situation reports from officers on the ground in these provinces are as follows:
* Most polling booths in the Poroma LLG of Nipa/Lake Kutubu Open electorate in Southern Highlands had been hijacked resulting in the burning of 18 ballot boxes in the new police barracks in Poroma.
* The same problem occurred in the Erave LLG of Kagua/Erave Open electorate in Southern Highlands resulting in most of the boxes hijacked and taken by candidates (but were later released).
* In Western Highlands polling is currently being conducted but the situation is not the same as in the 2012 National General Elections because election-related violence has resulted in the destruction of ballot papers and the situation is reported to be beyond control.
Mul LLG – fights going on and polling has been suspended.
Hagen Urban LLG and Hagen Rural LLG – postponed polling to 31st July 2013 due to security problems while Ward 5 in Hagen Urban LLG had all its election material destroyed when election-related violence flared up.
Kotna LLG – after polling in Ward 23(Kimbiki) some candidates allegedly bought alcohol for the youths and after the youths all got drunk they destroyed all the marked ballot papers.
Baiyer LLG – polling in two wards has been suspended indefinitely by due to flare up of election-related violence at the polling venues.
* In Jiwaka, ballot boxes had been hijacked in three (3) wards at Nondugl LLG.
THE Electoral Commission is seriously considering options available under the law to cancel and fail the 2013 local level government elections in violence ridden areas in the Highlands.
Chief Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen indicated this in a media statement last Friday that pressure is mounting on the EC to exercise its powers under the Organic Law on National and LLG elections to take appropriate action on LLGs and electorates in the Highlands where undemocratic and illegal activities in recent days and weeks have jeopardised the theme of free, fair and safe elections.
The most likely action that would be taken by the Commission is to cancel the LLG polls in the affected LLGs, electorates and provinces and withdraw the election writs under Section 96A Part XIA (Election Cancellations and Failure) of the Organic Law on National and Local-level Governments.
Mr Trawen said provinces that are in the media limelight for serious breach of elections laws include Southern Highlands, Western Highlands and Jiwaka provinces – all in the Highlands region.
He said situation reports from officers on the ground in these provinces are as follows:
* Most polling booths in the Poroma LLG of Nipa/Lake Kutubu Open electorate in Southern Highlands had been hijacked resulting in the burning of 18 ballot boxes in the new police barracks in Poroma.
* The same problem occurred in the Erave LLG of Kagua/Erave Open electorate in Southern Highlands resulting in most of the boxes hijacked and taken by candidates (but were later released).
* In Western Highlands polling is currently being conducted but the situation is not the same as in the 2012 National General Elections because election-related violence has resulted in the destruction of ballot papers and the situation is reported to be beyond control.
Mul LLG – fights going on and polling has been suspended.
Hagen Urban LLG and Hagen Rural LLG – postponed polling to 31st July 2013 due to security problems while Ward 5 in Hagen Urban LLG had all its election material destroyed when election-related violence flared up.
Kotna LLG – after polling in Ward 23(Kimbiki) some candidates allegedly bought alcohol for the youths and after the youths all got drunk they destroyed all the marked ballot papers.
Baiyer LLG – polling in two wards has been suspended indefinitely by due to flare up of election-related violence at the polling venues.
* In Jiwaka, ballot boxes had been hijacked in three (3) wards at Nondugl LLG.
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