Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, says there is no law stopping him from having intending candidates submit their bio-data’s or Form 29 before the issue of writs.
He said this in respone to Opposition Leader, Don Polye, alleging that the issue of Form 29 before the issue of writs was illegal.
Gamato told Loop PNG that there was no law stopping him and that the issuing of Form 29 was an administrative process.
“The Form 29 is allowed by law. Under the Election regulation we can complete the Forms before the nomination. Its not nomination.
“But for purposes of administration management of the Form 29 and bringing in candidate bio-data we can its all the regulation says. So it’s within law,” said Gamato.
Polye also alleges that the collection of bio-data was a ploy to provide information of intending candidates to the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, and the People’s National Congress (PNC) Party to lure potentially successful candidates.
Gamato says the allegations raised by Polye were unfounded and not true.
Loop file picture