PPP threatens Court action if GECOM probes claims of “dead voting”

PPP Candidate and Attorney Anil Nandlall told reporters outside the Arthur Chung Convention Centre that any move by GECOM to investigate the claims being made during the recount would be illegal and he believes the Court will stop it.

PPP threatens Court action if GECOM probes claims of “dead voting”

The People’s Progressive Party this evening threatened that the Guyana Elections Commission could face Court action if it makes any move to investigate the claims that votes were cast for persons who are dead and persons who were out of the country at the 2nd March elections.

PPP Candidate and Attorney Anil Nandlall told reporters outside the Arthur Chung Convention Centre that any move by GECOM to investigate the claims being made during the recount would be illegal and he believes the Court will stop it. 

“No, not it will not happen, the Court will stop it. Look, anytime the Commission acts outside of its legal powers, the Court will be there to correct it”, Nandlall said.

Asked what would be the PPP’s position if it is found that ballots were cast for persons who are dead or were out of the country on elections day, Mr. Nandlall said “the PPP has nothing to hide, but the PPP will not participate in an illegal exercise, if GECOM goes down a road that GECOM has no power to travel and wants to perform functions that GECOM has no lawful right or power to perform, then the PPP will not participate in that exercise”.

The APNU+AFC Coalition has been making objections to a number of votes during the recount and has been claiming that votes were cast for persons who died and persons who were out of the country on elections day. The Coalition has promised to provide the Elections Commission with evidence to support its claims, including death certificates and possible travel records.

GECOM Chair – Justice Claudette Singh

But Mr. Nandlall said such issues would be best dealt with in an election petition and not by the Commission. He said the Commission cannot interfere with a single vote and would have to hear from every person whose vote might be affected and therefore that is why he believes it is an issue for the Court and not GECOM.

The Coalition has argued that as part of the recount of votes, the Elections Commission has set credibility as part of the order and therefore it believes that GECOM must probe the claims if it wants to establish credibility or the lack of credibility.

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