PNG Ombudsman Commission questions legality of Deferral of LLG Elections

Papua New Guinea Ombudsman Commission has filed a special court case at the Supreme Court, called a Constitutional Reference, questioning if a deferral of the Local Level Government elections for more than 3-months is legal under the Constitution.

In a statement, the ombudsman, says it wants clarification if Section 34 of the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government allows for a deferral of the LLG elections to more than three months after the date for the return of writs for the National General Elections.

The ombudsman also questioned reasons of the deferral.

The Ombudsman Commission says in a statement that the reason lack of funding by the National Government to the Electoral Commission raises questions in terms of compliance with relevant laws and the Constitution.

According to the Ombudsman Commission, there does not appear to be any provision in the Constitution, Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government or OLPGLLG and Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections that provides for lack of funding by the National Government to the Electoral Commission, to be a reason for deferral beyond the period stipulated in Section 34 of the OLPGLLG.

The Ombudsman Commission says section 34 of the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government and the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections only allows for a deferral to ensure the effective conduct of respective elections.

NBC News