A thorough investigation will be conducted into the video footage revealing the illegal marking of ballot papers in the Jiwaka Province.
This was announced by Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, after seeing the amateur footage shown on TVWAN News yesterday.
The incident occurred in North Waghi at the Singirok Barracks where ballot papers were marked outside of the legal electoral process.
The boxes in question are for Kendu 1 and 2, Tolu 1 and 2, and Bolba 1 and 2.
Gamato said what transpired was inappropriate and was not democratic, and has already instructed that the ballot boxes be set aside.
“Let me say that Singirok Barracks is a gazetted place for polling. There is no problem with that but the manner in which the ballot papers were marked was outside the process and not correct.
“It breaches the electoral laws and process, so my decision as Electoral Commissioner is to direct the returning officer, through the election manager, to set those six ballot boxes aside as disputed boxes.
Gamato added: “I will direct a thorough investigation into this incident to find out who was involved in making that decision to hijack this electoral process and based on the findings, make a decision at a later stage.”