Cries of discrepancies are being levelled at the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) after it issued a notice allowing a final check of the results for the Siparia West/Fyzabad electoral region.
The accusations were made when PNM councillor-elect for the area, Maurice Alexander, went to the Siparia Regional Corporation swearing-in ceremony, only to be told that he could not be sworn in because another recount was ordered.
The function was supposed to start at the Plaza Siparia Conference Hall at 2 pm but there was an hour-long delay when the PNM team went into a caucus to discuss the latest development.
After 20 minutes of discussions, all three remaining PNM councillors Gerald Debisette, Arlene Ramdeo and Christine Neptune proceeded with the swearing in.
Alexander left the hall. He did not speak to the media but Debisette, who is councillor for Brighton/Vessigny, said they were very disappointed by the EBC’s decision. He said that the PNM was upset because the deadline for recounts had already passed and Alexander was already declared the winner by the EBC.
Chairman of the corporation Leo Doodnath said the request for a recount was made by the UNC candidate Avinash Seetaram and was scheduled for Monday at noon.
Contacted yesterday, Chief Elections Officer Ramesh Nanan said there would be no recount of the ballots as the deadline for doing so had expired.
“This is not a recount. This is a check of the results being done under Election Rule 106 which states that a candidate for an electoral region may within four days apply to the Chief Executive Officer for a check of the results of the polls,” Nanan said.