Counting

He expressed disappointment at the pace at which counting has been conducted so far for the Kandep Open seat at the Wabag counting centre.

With just 13 ballot boxes remaining for counting, he said counting should be expedited, adding a winner should have been declared by now.

He wants the Electoral Commission to appoint a new set of neutral counting officials to carry on counting from the remaining 13 ballot boxes.

Parties aggrieved with the conduct of the elections have the appropriate remedy, which is through election petitions, where the courts can deal with election-related grievances at the appropriate time.

That appropriate time is after the declaration and return of writs. This was reiterated by Justice Collin Makail when presiding over an election-related trial today. 

The Waigani National Court this afternoon dismissed the case filed by 12 candidates contesting the NCD Regional seat after a trial conducted in short notice.

The counting contingent took to the main Waigani freeway during lunch time today to demand for their allowances to be paid before the end of counting.

The group made a big scene in front of the PNG Electoral Commission office.

A supervisor for the Moresby North-East counting centre, Steven Kairu, presented a petition at the Electoral Commissioner’s office.

The document stated that counting for the North-East electorate will not resume nor finish unless the officials are paid their full allowances.

The 12 candidates who have filed a proceeding in the National Court on July 13, 2017 returned to court today.

Their lawyer, Paul Othas told the court that they are pursuing the case because there are allegations of polling officials and scrutineers being excluded from the counting process currently underway at the Rita Flynn courts.  

This is after allegations of polling on a Sunday held in Wasum in the Kandrian Gloucester Open seat.

It is understood that Team 11 conducted polling on Sunday July 2, the last day of polling due to several factors.

According to the report from team 11, they had encountered bad weather including rough seas, strong winds and rain.

When they arrived at Wasum, the village chief, elders, the people and scrutineers all agreed for voting to take place after church service so they exercise they constitutional rights to cast their votes.

Here is the progressive result:

Vanimo-Green River Open - after count 5

Progressive results:  

The event, which was scheduled for yesterday, was deferred to today.

As of 10am this morning, progressive results for Moresby North-East after count 29: