NCD election manager

The containers were kept under the close watch of the NCD Electoral officers.

The Court order comes after the Electoral Commission lawyer told court that they were having difficulties obtaining the keys for the containers.

This morning, under the supervision of the NCD Election Manager, Terence Hetinu, the containers were opened.

The process was witnessed by NCD Electoral officers, the petitioners; Michael Kandiu and Andy Bawa, with their lawyers and the Electoral Commission’s lawyers.

He said this afternoon that the main issue that deferred polling on Tuesday will be sorted out.

On Tuesday, polling officials in Moresby North-West, as well as parts of Moresby South, refused to conduct polling after their allowances were not paid on time.

This forced Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, to defer polling for all three NCD electorates.

Jimmy told the media that allowances will be paid, which he has asked to be done in cash to ensure polling takes place.

 Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, made the announcement late this afternoon saying Hetinu and his assistant, Roslyn Tabogani, have been replaced.

Assuming the roles will be  Alvin Jimmy as Election Manager and Bale Kavanamur, as Assistant Election Manager.

The announcement was made in front of disgruntled NCD candidates who fronted the EC Headquarters today seeking to present a second petition to Gamato.

The first petition was handed to Gamato yesterday following the deferral of polling in the capital city.

NCD/Central Commander, Sylvester Kalaut, confirmed this in a press conference today.

Kalaut said Hetinu was arrested when he went there to advise the polling and police officials that NCD polling had been deferred.

"Because of that, it raised a lot of suspicions."

Kalaut said as management for the police, that was an advice that was supposed to come from the electoral commissioner. The date has been set and gazetted and polling has to be done within these scheduled dates.