Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal perfected judgment on the elections case has given a deadline on the swearing-in of president-elect in the Constitution Court sanctioned presidential poll.
The panel of judges of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal who made the ruling included Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda, Justice Rezine Mzikamanda, Justice Edward Twea, Justice Anaclet Chipeta, Justice Lovemore Chikopa, Justice Frank Edgar Kapanda and Justice Anthony Kamanga
In the perfected judgment, the case gives July 3, 2020 as the deadline for the swearing in of the president-elect.
The 151st day of the 150 days ordered by the Constitutional Court within which to hold the election falls on July 3 as the Constitutional Court ruling was made on February 3, 2020.
By the terms of the order of the Court below that there be a fresh election for the office of the President within 150 days, it is a legal requirement that a President must be elected and duly returned and sworn in by the commencement of the 151st day from the date of the judgement of the Court below [Constitution Court]," the unanimous decision of seven-judges panel of the Supreme Court ruled.
There was no immediate comment from the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on the perfected ruling but this week its chairperson Jane Ansah suggested that the election be held on June 23 so that the counting of votes and the swearing in of the president elect falls under the court's prescribed 150 days.
