4:30PM

BY JEFFREY ELAPA

The election petition against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was withdrawn by the counsel QC Greg Egan representing petitioner Stanley Liria today.

This means that the Prime Minister can now concentrate on running the country and the district without thinking to worry about any election related matter before him.

Mr O’Neill’s win for the Ialibu-Pangia open seat in the Southern Highlands province was challenged by runner-up Stanley Liria, who claimed that the election was conducted on a Sunday that is not allowed by Law.

Mr O’Neill polled 48,714 votes (78 percent) of the total eligible voter of 62728, 17,314 votes surpassing absolute majority of 33, 100 votes.

Mr Liria polled 8, 229 to come second and filed an application before the Supreme Court on 17 July, asking the court to decide if Sunday voting breached the Constitution. The application also asked for a combined interpretation of section 50 and section 55 linked to section 130 of the Organic Law of National and Local Level Government Elections.

Liria had argued that Sunday voting was prohibited in section 130 of the Organic Law on National and Local-Level Government Elections which says polling must take place on days other than Sunday or a public holiday.

Yesterday QC Greg Egan who represented Liria said after the matter was withdrawn as decided by his client.

“Yes, it was withdrawn for good, no more court case,” he said.

Mr Liria in a statement said he withdrew the court petition in the interest of peace, democracy, national unity, good governance and development.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill when asked to comment on the decision said it was the petitioner’s decision and he was the best person to answer the reporters question but for the good of the people in his Ialibu Pangia, it was good news.

He said since the commencement of electoral process, the people have always demanded that candidates respect their decision and courts are not the place to determine people’s desires.

“That is why there has never been a petition in court for our district over the past 9 years,” the Prime Minister said.