Don Pomb Polye has been declared the duly-elected member for Kandep electorate following a Judicial recount of the 2017 General election.
Justice David Cannings made the declarations this morning at the Waigani National Court.
Don Polye was endorsed as the elected leader following an election petition he had filed at the Supreme Court in 2017 disputing the election results which declared Alfred Manase as the member.
On the 20th of December 2020, the court ordered for a judicial recount of the 2017 election results.
Following the judicial recount results submitted to the National Court on Wednesday 7th of April, Alfred Manase and the Electoral Commission filed another motion challenging the results.
The respondents argued that the new Returning officer of the judicial recount, Rev. Tom Sine had acted contrary to the Supreme Court orders by including votes from five contentious ballot boxes.
In his decision handed down this morning, Justice David Cannings said the respondents failed to prove any breach by the RO.
Justice Cannings declared the results of the judicial recount in which, Don Polye won by 22, 237 votes.
Alfred Manase was the runner up with 21, 033 votes.
The declarations will take effect on Monday, 19th of April at 3pm.