News / National
Constitutional case on elections postponed to Tuesday
27 Jun 2013 at 20:40hrs | Views
The constitutional matter over the application for a postponement of the date of elections from the 31st of July to the 14th of August has been postponed to Tuesday next week.
The matter was postponed after all parties agreed.
Advocate Fredrick Gijima who is representing Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa said all parties agreed that it was not feasible for them and the court to deal with the matter this week.
All the parties have been ordered to file their papers by Tuesday 12 noon and a pre-hearing meeting is expected to be conducted in the Chief Justice's chambers to iron out some legal procedures.
The matters have been consolidated and these are the applications by Cde Chinamasa, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Professor Welshman Ncube, Nixon Nyikadzino and Maria Phiri.
All the applicants were seeking the extension of the election date and the Chief Justice earlier ordered that these matters be consolidated.
The President's lawyer Terrence Hussein was also in presence and said he accepts the court's decision.
The Chief Justice this Wednesday had raised concern that the other part to this matter, the President is not in the country to direct his attorney on how to proceed with the matter.
In their applications, the Prime Minister and Professor Ncube were arguing that the amended electoral laws which were put in place through the Presidential Powers and Temporary Measures Act be declared null and void and be debated by Parliament.
The tenure of the 7th Parliament expires this Saturday and it is still not clear how the dissolved Parliament will resurrect and debate on the issue of the Electoral Amendment Act.
The unanimous agreement that the matter be postponed to next week appears to however suggest that the issue of debate falls out.
The matter was postponed after all parties agreed.
Advocate Fredrick Gijima who is representing Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa said all parties agreed that it was not feasible for them and the court to deal with the matter this week.
All the parties have been ordered to file their papers by Tuesday 12 noon and a pre-hearing meeting is expected to be conducted in the Chief Justice's chambers to iron out some legal procedures.
The matters have been consolidated and these are the applications by Cde Chinamasa, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Professor Welshman Ncube, Nixon Nyikadzino and Maria Phiri.
All the applicants were seeking the extension of the election date and the Chief Justice earlier ordered that these matters be consolidated.
The President's lawyer Terrence Hussein was also in presence and said he accepts the court's decision.
The Chief Justice this Wednesday had raised concern that the other part to this matter, the President is not in the country to direct his attorney on how to proceed with the matter.
In their applications, the Prime Minister and Professor Ncube were arguing that the amended electoral laws which were put in place through the Presidential Powers and Temporary Measures Act be declared null and void and be debated by Parliament.
The tenure of the 7th Parliament expires this Saturday and it is still not clear how the dissolved Parliament will resurrect and debate on the issue of the Electoral Amendment Act.
The unanimous agreement that the matter be postponed to next week appears to however suggest that the issue of debate falls out.
Source - zbc
