GECOM blasts those seeking to disenfranchise electors who participated in H2H process

In its statement, GECOM pointed out that Regulation 37 of the National Registration (Residents) Regulations Act, Chapter 19:08 provides for the Commissioner of National Registration to make corrections to the Revised List of Electors.

GECOM blasts those seeking to disenfranchise electors who participated in H2H process

In a strongly-worded statement this afternoon, The Guyana Elections Commission said it is perturbed by recent attempts to
discredit its work.

GECOM said it is cognizant of the efforts by some whose “sole intention is to disenfranchise thousands of eligible electors who participated in the house-to-house registration exercise. This will not happen”.

The Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and the former Attorney General Anil Nandlall have been critical of GECOM’s decision to make changes to the Revised Voters’ List to include address changes for registered persons.

In its statement, GECOM pointed out that Regulation 37 of the National Registration (Residents) Regulations Act, Chapter 19:08 provides for the
Commissioner of National Registration to make corrections to the Revised List of Electors.

The Act states that, “If within the period of twenty-one days after he had certified lists, the Commissioner is satisfied that any entry or omission in any list as revised pursuant to regulation 35 is incorrect through inadvertence in the course of such revision, he shall make or cause to be made the requisite correction to that list and such copy thereof as is
open for inspection at any registration office and the Commissioner shall give to the person to whom such correction relates notice thereof, which may be sent by registered post to his last known address.”

The Commission said considering the legal provision as outlined, it is confident in its system which is vital to ensure that persons who would have had changes done to their addresses, during the House-to-House Registration exercise is in accordance with the law and does not fall outside of the statutory period.

GECOM said it has a duty to ensure that the information of all Electors is accurately reflected on the Official List of Electors to avoid confusion, adding that if that process is not done, Electors would be required to travel to their old addresses to vote.

“As such, those persons would be displaced and disenfranchised which could result in low voter turnout and questionable election
results”, the Commission added.

GECOM in its statement also urged the electorate to be extremely vigilant of the attempts by a few “to create confusion, mischief and derail the level of public confidence in GECOM to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible
elections”.

The Commission said it is working in the best interest of the electors.

The Elections Commission recently made a decision to make changes to the addresses of more than 90,000 persons who participated in the house to house registration exercise. The old addresses for the persons had appeared on the Revised Voters List and GECOM has made a move to correct that.

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