The National Mandate Party (PAN) says it has filed a lawsuit against the General Elections Commission (KPU) for disqualifying the party from the legislative election in Pelalawan regency, Riau.
“PAN has filed the lawsuit,” said party chairman Hatta Rajasa after campaigning in Batam, Riau Islands, on Monday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
The KPU disqualified PAN from contesting the election in Pelalawan regency for failing to submit its campaign finance report within the specified time. The party objected to the disqualification saying that the delay was due to unexpected factors.
“It was a case of 'force majeure'. The official who was assigned to submit the campaign finance report got into a traffic accident,” said Hatta.
He said the KPU should have given the party more time to submit the report.
Earlier, the KPU announced that it had disqualified nine political parties at the regency and municipality levels and 35 Regional Representatives Council (DPD) candidates for failing to submit their campaign finance reports by the deadline.
KPU commissioner Hadar Nafis Gumay said in Jakarta on Saturday that it had barred the associated candidates from running in the election, in accordance with electoral law.
“Some parties submitted reports after the deadline without explanation. Some others did not submit the reports at all. We have to adhere to the law,” he said.
Hadar added that the KPU had given dispensations to political parties in several regions that were unable to submit their campaign finance reports by the deadline.
“We really take into account force majeure conditions, such as accidents and natural disasters that may cause a delay in the submission of a campaign finance report,” he said.
Source/Fuente: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/03/17/pan-sues-kpu-alleged-wrong...
