GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC -Acting Chief Justice, Navindra Singh, on Friday dismissed the case brought against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in the case in which the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) had challenged what it described as the unlawful exclusion of duly approved political parties from ballots in several regions ahead of the September 1 general and regional elections.
The application had been filed in the name of Krystal Hadassah Fisher against GECOM, and earlier this week, Attorney General Anil Nandlall successfully argued that since the applicant is seeking constitutional relief against the State, the Office of the Attorney General must be named a party.
In his ruling, Justice Singh said that the omission of the party from the ballot of the three regions is entirely lawful.
“It would be unlawful for GECOM to include FGM on the ballot paper when they haven’t submitted a list for a particular geographical constituency,” the judge said.
The lawyers for Fisher have already indicated that they intend to appeal the ruling.
Fisher was ordered to pay each respondent one million dollars (One EC dollar equals 0.004 cents) on or before September 8.
Fisher, a resident of Region Nine, claimed that the exclusion of the parties from the ballot in that district violates citizens’ constitutional right to vote.
Her attorney, Dr. Vivian Williams, had asked the High Court to declare the September 1 elections held without the full inclusion of qualified parties null and void, restrain GECOM from excluding any duly approved national list, and order the immediate inclusion of FGM candidates in the affected regions.
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