Chaudhry concerned at registration flaws for 2006 polls

[posted 25 Oct 2005, 10.00]

Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry has expressed serious concerns at flaws in voter registration that marred Saturday’s municipal elections, and its implications for the 2006 general elections.

Chaudhry who has been very vocal in criticising flaws in the voter registration process for the 2006 national polls, says irregularities that surfaced in the municipal elections on Saturday, merely reflect what is happening on the national level.

Hundreds of voters had to be turned away at all municipalities on Saturday when their names could not be found on the electoral rolls, despite the fact that they produced registration slips to show they had been registered.

“How can people have registration slips to show they have registered, yet their names are not on the rolls?” he asked.

“Either this is a deliberate ploy to disenfranchise certain voters or it shows the degree of incompetence and inefficiency prevalent in the office of the Supervisor of Elections office, Mahendra Chaudhry said

He called for a thorough clean up of the Supervisor of Elections office with people appointed on merit and in line with racial parity, ahead of the 2006 polls.

Flaws in the registration process denying thousands of people the right to vote, undermine the integrity of the election process and the right to free and fair elections,
Chaudhry said.

In meetings with the Electoral Commission, the Opposition Leader has emphasised the need to start the registration process anew.