The Supreme Court of South Sudan has admitted a petition filed by political parties, challenging the holding of national elections in 2015.
The petition has been filed by nine political parties, asking the court to block the National Electoral Commission from conducting the vote on the scheduled date of June 30th this year.
The court has given the electoral commission till the 3rd of March to file its defense suit. Speaking to TCT, Agok Makur, an advocate representing the nine political parties says the admission of the petition is a milestone.
“It marks a great advancement and achievement attributed to the Supreme Court, that the Supreme Court has abided by its ethics, and accepted to look into the issue, the suit filed by political parties, the Supreme Court has accepted the suit and the date has been fixed for the next hearing,” he said.
The political parties filed the suit last month on grounds that the current political situation would not allow for a credible elections, said Makur.
The political parties also say the elections cannot be held without conducting a population census as required by the elections act. The current territorial boundaries were based on census held by Sudan which was disputed by South Sudan before independence.
“There must be conduct of a national census for South Sudan to have a realistic population,” he said.
The electoral commission was preparing to conduct presidential elections on 30th June 2015 as required by the South Sudan transitional constitution. Since the eligibility of the current government comes to an end by 9th July 2015, the government is mandated to conduct elections before that date.
Many people TCT talked to say the national parliament should amend the constitution to extend the term of the president for the interest of peace, since having elections with the country at war will not allow free and fair elections.
Early this week, Catholic Church bishops expressed doubt on the ability of the country to have credible lections in an atmosphere of violence and uncertainty.
They urged all parties to work together to bring consensus so that the legitimate governance of the country continues in a transitional manner, until time comes when new political dispensation is agreed by all parties.