Election Petition - Case Study

This week we study the case of Mbaakanyi vs The Independent Electoral Commission. It was a matter before the High Court where an unsuccessful candidate brought an election petition seeking orders declaring the verification and counting of ballots improper.

She further sought an order directing the High Court to oversee a recount. The Respondents objected, arguing that the relief she sought was not recognised by law. I will focus on the key principles learnt from that case as opposed to its facts.

The court observed that because of the potentially disruptive effect of “successful election petitions on the affairs of State, “election petitions should not be embarked upon lightly.”

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up