00:00 In a media statement on Sunday on behalf of the UNC, the party's public relations officer,
00:05 Dr. Kirk Magoo, said opposition leader Kamala Prasad Bissessa is leading the party's legal
00:11 challenge to the EBC's decision to hold a fresh election in Lengua, Indian Walk, based
00:16 on its rejection of what the UNC says is a valid vote which gives an electoral victory
00:23 to the party.
00:25 During the opposition's media conference on Sunday, Barataria San Juan MP, Saddam Hussein,
00:29 referred to what he identified as correspondence the UNC received from the commission.
00:34 "The EBC has regarded it as a rejected ballot simply because there were no initials of the
00:42 EBC officials, that is the presiding officer, at the back of the ballot.
00:47 That is no fault of the elector, that is no fault of the voter.
00:51 So what the EBC is doing is disenfranchising a valid, proper elector and vote because of
00:59 their negligence, their omission and their neglect.
01:03 How can that be right in any democratic society?
01:06 I believe the EBC's slogan is 'partners in democracy'.
01:10 Democracy means the right of the people to be heard, the right to elect your government,
01:14 the right to elect your people."
01:15 On Saturday, the EBC, the Elections and Boundaries Commission, announced that Chief Election
01:19 Officer Phun Nasir Skok, acting in accordance with Election Rule 10115 of the Representation
01:25 of the People Act, had certified to the returning officer for the Electoral District of Lengua,
01:30 Indian Walk, that the second recount, which occurred between August 17 and 18, resulted
01:36 in the same tie between the UNC's and the PNM's candidates as the first recount.
01:42 That electoral district falls under the Princess Town Regional Corporation, won overall by
01:47 the UNC.
01:48 The EBC then said that the returning officer for this electoral district has declared the
01:53 election void pursuant to the certification by the Chief Election Officer, making way
01:58 for fresh elections.
02:00 The EBC described this as a historic development.
02:05 The EBC said its two recounts in Lengua, Indian Walk concluded that the candidates for the
02:10 UNC and the PNM each received 1,428 votes.
02:13 "So currently as we speak, there are 1,429 X's in the ballot boxes and the PNM has 1,428
02:23 so it means that the UNC has the majority in Lengua, Indian Walk.
02:28 In fact, the UNC are the winners of that particular district and that is why we are raising contention
02:34 with the exercise that is taking place right now and the decisions being made by the EBC."
02:40 Dr. Mego said in the UNC's media release that the party wrote the EBC seeking clarification
02:45 on a number of critical issues and expected to hear from the Commission by 4pm on Sunday.
02:52 TV6 News asked MP Hossain what legal action could the UNC initiate if the party's leadership
02:58 determines this to be necessary.
03:00 "The UNC under the representation of the People's Act and other various pieces of law has the
03:08 right to an audience in the court to indicate that the EBC has acted in an unlawful, illegal
03:15 manner, that the rejected ballot that was cast in favour of the United National Congress
03:21 was in fact a valid ballot.
03:24 So there are recourses in the law.
03:26 You will hear more from this in the next 24 hours.
03:31 We have given the EBC a deadline of 4pm today to respond to our letter that was sent very
03:37 early this morning."
03:39 Oropuj East MP Dr. Rudal Munilal also weighed in on the matter.
03:43 "In the court we are sure of victory.
03:45 If there are fresh elections we are sure of victory because the majority will there is
03:50 in favour of the UNC."
03:52 MP Hossain said the allocation of the aldermen cannot take place until there is a final number
03:57 of votes in the Princess Town Regional Corporation.
04:01 Jule Brown, TV6 News.
04:03 [BLANK_AUDIO]
