The Daily Prism

KINGSTON, JAMAICA — The People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for West Central St. Andrew, Paul Buchanan, has taken the first step in a legal challenge to the results of the September 3rd general election. Buchanan’s campaign has filed an application with the Constituted Authority to have the poll in the constituency voided, citing widespread irregularities.

The media release from the PNP, dated September 18, outlines several issues as the basis for the application. These include allegations of intimidation and violence in the Olympic Gardens and Molynes Gardens polling divisions, the late opening of polling stations at Seaward Primary School, and irregularities in the transportation of 18 ballot boxes from that location. The release also claims that electronic voter verification systems were non-functional, leading to voter suppression.

However, a check with key officials and a review of the legal process confirm the status of the matter. A source at the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue, stated that the ECJ has not yet been formally notified of any legal action.

In a similar vein, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has confirmed it has not been served with any legal documents regarding a petition. When reached for comment, a representative from the JLP’s office stated, “no sir [we] don’t get that as yet.”

This is consistent with the legal process for an election petition. A petition is not officially filed with the court until the Constituted Authority, the body that receives Buchanan’s application, decides to forward it. This is a crucial distinction that explains why a formal case number is not yet available and why parties have not been served.

The media release from the PNP’s media unit did not list the name of any attorney or law firm associated with the filing, which is an unusual detail for a legal action of this nature. The Constituted Authority has two weeks from the filing date to review the application and make a decision on whether to send the matter to the Election Court.