The Constitutional Court today heard the final submissions in the case of contested Parliamentary seats in the 2013 General Election.
The Nationalist Party had claimed that misplaced votes had meant that candidates Claudette Buttigieg and Frederick Azzopardi had missed the chance to be elected with a quota.
The Labour Party had contested a decision made in May when the Court had upheld the PN’s argument to be given extra seats.
The Constitutional case was filed by the PL after Madame Justice Lorraine Schembri Orland, presiding the First Hall of the Civil Court in its Constitutional jurisdiction at the end of May, had upheld the PN’s arguments in that case.
Prof Ian Refalo, appearing for the Electoral Commission said the PN’s interpretation of the European Convention did not reflect the intention of the legislator.
“The remedy given by the first court is contrary to the spirit of democratic elections…the law doesn’t want members of parliament to be imposed on the country by a judicial process or a process that doesnt involve the electorate.”
