News • 19 January 2003

PN and MLP go ‘mental’ over votes

By Matthew Vella

SAN GWANN - At least 600 applications have been made to the Court of Magistrates for the cancellation of voters on grounds of mental infirmity by the Nationalist Party according to its electoral office Elcom. The total number of applications filed by the PN for the cancellation of votes since the publication of October 2002’s electoral register numbers approximately 1,600.

A considerable number of applications for the cancellation of votes were filed by the Prime Minister’s son, Dr Beppe Fenech Adami, who is one of the volunteers at Elcom.

MLP International Secretary Dr Michael Falzon however told MaltaToday that the number of applications filed by the PN numbered 800, singling out eighty plus-year olds with Labourite sympathies.

Dr Falzon said the number of applications filed by the MLP numbered 1049, with 100 applications calling into question voters’ mental sanity.

Electoral law

Malta’s electoral law allows parties to file applications for the cancellation of votes on grounds of mental infirmity. Individuals whose mental sanity is called into question have to prove their sanity and be subjected to test by a medical board.

Elcom head Henri Darmanin told MaltaToday the PN had a right to file such applications so persons who did not have the right to vote would not have their choices manipulated by other persons: "This is a law which permits political parties and people to ensure voters’ details are correct. The law grounding mental infirmity as a case for the removal of the right to vote exists in other countries as well.”

"The people had got used to unlawful and unjust manoeuvring before the 1991 elections law. In the eighties, an electoral commission appointed by the government would decide such cases on its own, without the opinion of a medical board. The absurdity of the cases was incredible.

"By employing the skills of three psychiatrists, chosen by the electoral commission, and the two parties, the law today functions better."

Reacting to Labour’s accusations, Mr Darmanin said: "Labour can say anything it wants. Ever since the 1991 law came into practice, voters are checked every six months , to ensure that there are no mistakes in voter details.

"I don’t think the practice is placing undue scrutiny on the people. This is the only procedure. There is no other alternative. According to the law however, political parties have no right to access voters’ medical records, and that is fair."