The candidate nomination fee for the 2017 National Election remains at K1,000, after Parliament failed to make changes to the election laws in its final sitting last week.
Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said the fee remains the same after parliament failed to do the second and third readings to amend the Organic Law on National and LLG Elections.
“The proposed amendments are still the property of parliament and will await the new parliament to deliberate on.”
The coalition Government was adamant to increase the nomination fee to K10,000, claiming it will support the PNG Electoral Commission run the elections and also stop ‘traim lak’ candidates from contesting.
The break in the coalition government circle between People’s National Congress and National Alliance days before the final sitting could be the reason in shelving the final readings.
Meanwhile, the Issue of Writs and Nomination for intending candidates is on April 20.
Nomination closes at 4pm on April 27.
There will be 8 weeks of campaigning, from April 20 – June 23. Polling will run from June 24 – July 8.
Return of Writs of the election must be before July 24.
(Picture by Kennedy Bani)