News / National
MDC-T election petition bill mounts to $1 million
20 Aug 2013 at 05:55hrs | Views
The Electoral Court has not yet set down for hearing any of the 95 petitions filed by MDC-T National Assembly losing candidates due to delays by the petitioners to tender the requisite security of costs fee to the tune of $10 000 per individual.
Petitions were filed on the eve of the expiry of the 14-day period in which challenges should be filed at the Electoral Court and up to now none of the petitioners has tendered the required security of costs to the court registry.
Although the petitioners have seven days within which to tender the security from last Friday when they filed the petitions, chances are that most of them might not be pursued.
In Harare 89 petitions were filed last Friday while six were filed in Bulawayo leaving the total number of petitions at 95.
Section 168 of the Electoral Act makes it a requirement for petitioners to tender security of costs as stipulated by the Electoral Court.
"Not later than seven days after the presentation of the election petition, security of an amount fixed by the registrar of the Electoral Court, being not less than the amount prescribed by the Commission after consultation with the Chief Justice, for the payment of all costs, charges and expenses that may become payable by the petitioner - "(a) to pay any person summoned as a witness on his behalf or her behalf and (b) to the responden shall be given by or on behalf of the petitioner".
Petitions were filed on the eve of the expiry of the 14-day period in which challenges should be filed at the Electoral Court and up to now none of the petitioners has tendered the required security of costs to the court registry.
Although the petitioners have seven days within which to tender the security from last Friday when they filed the petitions, chances are that most of them might not be pursued.
In Harare 89 petitions were filed last Friday while six were filed in Bulawayo leaving the total number of petitions at 95.
Section 168 of the Electoral Act makes it a requirement for petitioners to tender security of costs as stipulated by the Electoral Court.
"Not later than seven days after the presentation of the election petition, security of an amount fixed by the registrar of the Electoral Court, being not less than the amount prescribed by the Commission after consultation with the Chief Justice, for the payment of all costs, charges and expenses that may become payable by the petitioner - "(a) to pay any person summoned as a witness on his behalf or her behalf and (b) to the responden shall be given by or on behalf of the petitioner".
Source - herald
