The Constitution Court could not consider the Election Commission’s (EC) request to rule on Move Forward leader’s ITV shareholding case today (Wednesday), according to a high-ranking source at the Court.
The EC, at its meeting this morning, concluded that there is sufficient evidence to prove that Pita owned 42,000 shares in iTV, a media company, when he registered his election candidacy.
The EC also asked the court to order Pita to stop performing his duty as an MP immediately, until there is a decision by the Court in the next three days as to whether to accept the case for consideration.
The source said the case needs to be reviewed for its accuracy by a committee, before sending it to another committee to determine whether to accept it for consideration.
All these processes are needed to ensure discretion, the source said, adding that the Court’s weekly meeting today could not, therefore, consider the case, as the agenda had already been finalized. The Court holds it weekly meeting every Wednesday.
It is expected that the matter will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting, the source added.
Pita’s political future is already uncertain, as his candidacy as the next premier will be tabled in the joint sitting of parliament tomorrow.
He needs the majority support of the combined 500 MPs and 250 senators. A large number of senators are, however, not happy with his party’s policy to amend the lèse majesté law.
