CCJ to hand down decision on Election Declaration case next Wednesday

The case was taken before the CCJ by the Presidential Candidate and the General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party.

CCJ to hand down decision on Election Declaration case next Wednesday

After listening to arguments for more than seven hours in the Guyana Election Declaration case, the President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Justice Adrian Saunders announced that the Court will hand down its decision on the case next Wednesday, 8th July.

The case was taken before the CCJ by the Presidential Candidate and the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party.

Through their Attorney, Douglas Mendes, they are requesting that the Court throws out the Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision on the interpretation of the words “more votes than” to mean “more valid votes” in the Guyana Constitution.

During his submission before the Court this morning, Mr. Mendes while conceding that the CCJ had no jurisdiction to hear the appeal said the Court should still act in dismissing the decision of the Guyana Court of Appeal. He was adamant that the Guyana Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to even entertain the original matter.

Attorney John Jeremie who represented the applicant in the original matter, Eslyn David maintained in his submissions to the CCJ that the Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter since the Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision was final. He said with it having no jurisdiction he does not see how it could entertain and rule on the Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision.

A number of other Attorneys representing the other respondents in the matter including Guyana’s Attorney General, also laid out their submissions.

The Judges throughout today’s hearing also grilled the Attorneys on their understanding of various sections of the Guyana Constitution in relation to the issue of valid votes and the election of the President and National Assembly as well as the role of the Chief Election Officer.

The Judges said they will be studying all of the submissions in the coming days in time to hand down their decision next Wednesday.

The President of the Court made it clear that the orders of the Court preventing the Elections Commission from taking any other action will remain in place until the decision is handed down.

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