In a significant ruling, acting Chief Justice Roxanne George dismissed two separate legal challenges against Guyana’s Proportional Representation electoral system on Tuesday. The challenges were brought forth by chartered accountant Christopher Ram and political figure Vishnu Bandhu.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, S.C., addressed the media, asserting that the court deemed both cases to be frivolous, vexatious, and without substantive merit. The plaintiffs sought to contest various elements of the Representation of the People Act (RoPA), arguing for the removal of specific sections of the act and asserting that parts of the electoral framework were unconstitutional.
In Ram’s case, he contended that Article 160 of the Constitution allows individual candidates rather than lists to run in elections; however, the Attorney General countered that this interpretation was flawed. Nandlall explained that Article 160 indeed establishes a Proportional Representation system which does not accommodate independent candidates.
Similarly, Bandhu’s case focused on Articles 147 and 160, asserting a claim to participate in elections outside the restrictions imposed by RoPA. The Attorney General clarified that while Article 147 guarantees certain rights, it does not confer an unrestricted right to contest elections in any manner. In conclusion, the court ruled against both applicants, with costs awarded against Ram totaling $500,000.
Source: guyanachronicle.com
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