Ex-Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Collendavelloo is set to remain as Member of Parliament after a recount of the 2019 general elections ballots on Tuesday February 1, 2022 confirmed his victory.
However, Defi media reported that the exercise was marred by at least three “serious anomalies” – which could cast doubt on the integrity of the ballots.
Anomaly 1: 73 ballots missing
MMM MP and lawyer Reza Uteem said some 28,169 ballot papers were recorded the day after the 2019 general elections. On recount, the number somehow dropped to 28,096. So, 73 ballots went missing.
Anomaly 2: A ballot paper from constituency 1 (Port-Louis-Ouest/GRNO)
While the recounting was in full swing, a ballot paper for constituency number 1 (GRNO/Port-Louis-Ouest) was found among the ballots for constituency number 19 (Stanley/Rose-Hill.
Anomaly 3: Ballot paper without the seal of the Electoral Commission
Two ballot papers without the seal of the electoral commission were counted in two different counting rooms. In normal circumstances, only ballot papers bearing the seal of the Electoral Commissioner should be counted.
Despite these anomalies, the counting exercise continued under the supervision of Acting Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court, Wendy Rangan, at GMD Atchia State College in Port-Louis.
Ultimately, some 80 votes separated Ivan Collendavelloo from defeated MMM candidate Jenny Adebiro. The former got 8,965 votes while Jenny Adebiro received 8,845 votes.
The difference in votes after the November 2019 legislative elections was 92 votes.
Earlier during the day, PM Pravind Jugnauth had blasted allegations of rigged elections as “wacky and despicable.”
Jugnauth was speaking at Le Morne village, where the 187th year of the abolition of slavery was being commemorated.
“As a party, we did everything according to the law,” he said.
