CHIEF Justice (ag) Roxane George has set October 22, 2020 for a case management hearing into the APNU+AFC’s Elections Petition which seeks to challenge the validity of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

At the case management hearing, which will be done virtually, the date for the hearing of the matter is expected to be set. Other timelines and deadlines related to the petitions before the Court will also be set.

On August 31, the ‘Coalition’, through its lawyer, Roysdale Forde, filed the documents on behalf of the applicants, Claudette Thorne and Heston Bostwick, who want the High Court to determine the legality of the elections, and the results that led to the declaration and allocation of seats in the National Assembly.
Other attorneys who are part of the case are Raphael Trotman, Olayne Joseph, and Trinidad Senior Counsel John Jeremie.

The ‘Coalition’ had named several respondents, among them Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo; as well as representatives of several political parties that contested the elections, as it wants the High Court to cancel the polls and order fresh elections within 90 days.
The PPP/C emerged victorious in the aftermath of those elections.

The applicants have also named former President, David Granger, as a respondent to the petitions, where they are also asking for a quick and expeditious hearing.
According to Guyana’s laws, the validity of votes can be challenged only through an election petition, after the overall election results has been declared, and a Government is in place. At this point, an investigation will be done, and the case tried in court, based on the evidence presented.