The Inter-Departmental Election Committee Chairman, Ivan Pomaleu has clarified a number of laws outlining the candidates’ ineligibility to contest the 2022 National General Elections.
He said the Constitutional Electoral Reform 2022 provides that a person, who has been convicted of any indictable offences after the insertion of this law, is not eligible to contest these general elections or subsequent elections.
“The law permanently disqualified a candidate for becoming a Member of Parliament. A person convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 9 months after 2022 is disqualified from contesting.
“The PNG EC should not allow such person to nominate for public office as this makes mockery of and undermines the country’s electoral process.
Mr Pomaleu also emphasized on the laws covering dual citizenship of candidates, adding that section 50 of the Constitution provides the right to vote and stand for public office.
He said under the amendment, a person who has dual citizenship of another country is ineligible to contest.
Mr Pomaleu further explained that laws on endorsement of candidates says under section 60 of the organic law on Integrity of Political Parities does not allow a registered political party to endorse more than one candidate for each electorate.
“A registered political party who endorse more than one candidate in an electorate is guilty and fined K5, 000.”
