By Nakasia Logan, January 15, 2025
The legal battle concerning the verification of voters’ addresses took center stage in the High Court today, with differing views presented by Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Attorney at Law Dexter Todd.
The case, heard before Acting Chief Justice Roxanne George, focuses on the interpretation and application of voter registration laws under the 1980 Constitution.
Attorney General Nandlall emphasized that the legal issues at the heart of the dispute have already been addressed by the courts in a previous case.
He argued that excluding individuals from the voters’ list based on address would be unconstitutional, citing a ruling where it was established that residency is not a requirement for voter registration or voting.
Nandlall also referenced recent amendments made to the law to ensure its alignment with constitutional principles.
While he acknowledged the right to challenge the matter, he expressed confidence that the courts would reaffirm the previous decisions.
In contrast, Attorney Todd argued that the main issue lies in ensuring the accuracy of the voter register, particularly by properly linking registrants to their stated addresses.
Todd pointed out that the current amendments only address the claims made by registrants, rather than verifying the connection between the registrant and their address.
This, he suggested, has led to complications in the voter verification process.
The legal action was initiated by Carol Smith-Joseph, the Opposition’s Chief Scrutineer, who filed a lawsuit against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in December 2024.
Smith-Joseph claims that GECOM’s verification process is insufficient and could jeopardize the accuracy of the National Register of Registrants.
She contends that the lack of adequate verification of registrants’ addresses may result in an unlawful voters’ list.
The case will return to court on March 17, 2025, for further arguments.