Irregularities have been found in the recounting of the 2012 Election papers for the Kandep Open says Kandep Returning Officer Alwin Jimmy.
“Now we are going through them (ballot papers) and checking them careful and we are encountering some errors and we are trying to fix them as we go on.”
Jimmy gave an example of informal papers contained in the ballot boxes and also in correct recording of figures in the 2012 counting.
He revealed to Loop PNG that counting officials found names of 2012 Enga Provincial Seat candidates written on the Kandep ballot papers, which were put aside as informal votes.
Meanwhile, at close of counting yesterday Opposition Leader and sitting Kandep MP Don Polye maintains his lead in the Kandep Open Seat recount with 15,263 votes.
Followed by 2012, runner-up and successful election petitioner Alfred Manase on 6,758 votes and Bee Pepo on 2,262 at third placing.
31,476 ballot papers had already been counted so far, with only 206 informal votes registered after count 44 yesterday.
“In 2012 they counted to 67 boxes before Polye was declared in the first preference count after grabbing 50 per cent plus one (of the total votes),” Jimmy told Loop PNG.
Counting resumes this morning at Wabag Primary School.