Guidelines for Understanding, Adjudicating, and Resolving Disputes in Elections istration Review Officer for the region and should determine the appeal of a voter aggrieved by a decision of the District Registration Review Committee.10 Objections or complaints related to the provisional voter register are settled by the District Registration Revising Officer who is the Magistrate of the District Court and the decision can be appealed to the High Court. The validity of a parliamentary election can be challenged by a petition presented to the High Court within 21 days after the date of publication in the Gazette of the election results. However, if a petition questions the election on the grounds of a corrupt practice involving payment of money, it may be presented to the High Court before the official publication of results in the Gazette. C. Country Example: Palestinian Territories 11 Pursuant to the Local Council Elections Law (Number 10 of 2005) (LCEL) for the Palestinian Territories, the Central Election Commission is responsible for administratively responding to complaints in two specific areas: 1) allegations of inaccuracies in voter registries; and 2) objections to registration of candidate lists and nomination of candidates. These CEC decisions are subject to judicial appeal at the judicial level of Courts of First Instance (FICs). These courts are designated by the 2005 LCEL as the “competent court” for bringing challenges (appeals) of decisions reached by the CEC (or through its subordinate branches) upon complaints alleging inaccuracies in voter registries and objecting to registration of candidate lists and nomination of candidates. The FICs are also granted the very significant jurisdiction to hear objections contesting the officially announced election results. Importantly, the LCEL provides that the FICs’ judgments on challenges to the CEC decisions and on objections to election results are final. In advance of local elections in the Palestinian Territories, the CEC appears ready to coordinate with the FICs to ensure cases coming to the FICs are properly prepared, and to engage in joint training. Unfortunately, the LCEL gives no guidance as to the process for the CEC or See Electoral Commission of Ghana, Electoral Reform, http://www.ec.gov.gh/node/10. IFES, Technical Assistance to Strengthen the Complaints and Appeals Process for Local Council Elections in the Palestinian Territories (April 2010) (concept paper). 10 11 120