The PNG Electoral Commission has put losing candidates on notice and will soon proceed to implement court orders for parties to pay court awarded costs.
Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai said the Commission will work with the Attorney General and police to implement those court orders to recover costs to the State.
“Although we respect the right of the person, court awarded cost is a must that it be adhered to and implemented. The court will now be informed of the status of their orders are not being respected so we will start executing the orders,” he said.
Sinai said the Attorney General and the courts by now should review the qualification rights for election petitions so that persons with interest to file an election petition should have the standing to take up Election Petitions (EPs) proceedings in court.
“The Electoral Commission will further with the assistance of the court, validate the orders on record and list them as Election Offences so those who fail to comply with standardize rules will be penalized with the Rule of Convicts and deny excess to election nominations in future,” he said.
Mr Sinai said these are some of the control measures towards reducing the overwhelming number of election petitions every election.
“We have to be tough in order to limit the EPs with its subsequent costs associated in defending each case in every election,” he said.