(3)
T h a t t h e r e was a n u p s u r g e o f v i o l e n c e a n d / o r
i r r e g u l a r i t i e s d u r i n g e l e c t i o n day i n o n e or
more p o l l i n g d i v i s i o n s i n t h e c o n s t i t u e n c y a n d / o r
-
i n t h e c o n s t i t u e n c y which l e d t o a s u b s t a n t i a l
d i s t o r t i o n or subversion of t h e process o f f r e e
and f a i r e l e c t i o n .
Let m e turn t o the only v i t a l question:
C:
'
s h o u l d t h e ~ a k i n go f t h e 9011 i n t h e C o n s t i t u e n c y o f W e s t C e n t r a l
S t . Andrew b e d e c l a r e d v o i d ?
I n examining t h i s q u e s t i o n t h e Court had t o i n t e r p r e t t h e
p r o v i s i o n s of Section 3 7 ( b ) (d) and (e) of t h e E l e c t i o n p e t i t i o n s
(Arnendment)Act 1 9 9 7 w h i c h i s c o n v e n i e n t l y s e t o u t a s u n d e r : -
" (b)
t h a k b a l l o t boxes have been s t o l e n o r d e s t r o y e d
o r have i n any manner been tampered w i t h and t h e
number o f e l e c t o r s o n t h e l i s t o f e l e c t o r s f o r
t h e p o l l i n g s t a t i o n s i s more t h a n t h e d i f f e r e n c e
i n t h e number o f v o t e s c a s t f o r t h e c a n d i d a t e
d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r a n d t h e c a n d i d a t e who i s n o t
declared t h e winner;
(d
t h a t v o t e s - h a v e b e e n p o l l e d b y p e r s o n s who a r e
n o t b o n a f i d e electors t h e r e b y c a s t i n g d o u b t on
the i n t e g r i t y of t h e votes counted f o r t h e
candidate declared elected.
(el
t h a t t h e r e i s an upsurge i n v i o l e n c e or any i r r e g u l a r i t y d u r i n g e l e c t i o n d a y i n o n e o r more p o l l i n g
s t a t i o n s or p o l l i n g d i v i s i o n s or i n any e l e c t o r a l
d i v i s i o n o r c o n s t i t u e n c y w h i c h would l e a d t o a