PN files warrant of prohibitory injunction over Electoral Commission’s refusal to cancel prison voting

The Nationalist Party has filed a warrant of prohibitory injunction against the Electoral Commission after the latter turned down its request to annul the vote held at the Corradino Correctional Facility.

“The Nationalist Party will be asking the court to order the opening of sealed packages containing the list of persons entitled to vote at the Corradino Correctional Facility, as well as those packages containing the voting documents of those persons who voted at the Corradino Correctional Facility,” it said.

In a letter to the Electoral Commission on Monday, PN secretary-general Michael Piccinino said the voting process at the Corradino Correctional Facility was “vitiated” by “serious shortcomings”.

Piccinino said that the list of 180 prisoners who were eligible to vote on Saturday, included “tens” of inmates who were legally disqualified from voting.

He accused the commission of failing to take action to stop these people from voting despite the PN having flagged at least one ineligible name four days before the voting took place. Piccinino said the PN had also indicated that there could be other ineligible names.

The PN said it will also ask the court to order the Electoral Commission and the Registrars of the Maltese and Gozitan Courts to present a list of these persons whose names are on the list of electors (LOPEV) and who are disqualified from voting, as well as to present the lists forwarded by the Courts' registrars to the Electoral Commission.

“A request will also be made to the court to declare that the Principal Electoral Commissioner and the Electoral Commission have failed to fulfil their obligations, as well as failed to ensure how the information is received by them from the Registrars of the Maltese and Gozitan Courts in accordance with their obligation,” the statement read.

In the injunction, the Nationalist Party is also asking the court to prevent the opening of the ballot box before the same court's decision is made.

Secretary General Michael Piccinino said that the PN will not allow anything to interfere with the democratic process in next Saturday's election.