Kandep district- Don Polye

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a re-count of all ballot boxes, including the five boxes that were disputed, in the Kandep Open election of 2012.

Justices Allen David, Jacinta Murray and Frazer Pitpit, in a unanimous decision, upheld the two separate Supreme Court election petition reviews that were filed by Don Polye and Alfred Luke Manase.

The three-judge Supreme Court bench quashed order 1 of the National Court Election Petition that set aside Polye’s election as member elect for Kandep.

The Kandep Open seat election petition review hearing took place before a three-judge Supreme Court bench. This happened after the court refused a letter from Polye, requesting one of the judges on the bench to disqualify herself from hearing the case.

The hearing took place this afternoon and a decision was reserved to a later date.

Polye’s lawyer, Paulus Doa, told the court the trial judge made an error when he set aside Polye’s election on May 2.

He said the judge did not make any finding of facts or reason out why he set aside Polye’s election.

The trial was adjourned from last week Monday after it was brought to the court’s attention that the consolidated review books did not contain a court transcript.

Parties in the trial are expected to appear before Justices Allan David, Jacinta Murray and Frazer Pitpit for hearing.

The consolidated Election Petition Reviews were filed by political rivals, Don Polye and Alfred Luke Manase. Both contested for the Kandep Open seat in the 2012 General Elections.