The High Court issued an interim order last week Thursday interdicting both the Council of State and His Majesty King Letsie III from proceeding with the appointment of the Chairman and Commissioners of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
news
July 1, 2019
2 min read
King told not to appoint IEC commissioners
IEC
Justice Ts’eliso Monaphathi made the order after hearing submissions made by Advocates Monaheng Rasekoai, Christopher Lephuthing and Koili Ndebele who represent the Transformation Resource Centre (TRC), Maieane Khaketla and the African Ark (AA) Areka ea Basotho as the first to the third applicants respectively. The three applicants filed a constitutional case against 63 respondents that include among others, the Council of State, His Majesty King Letsie III, Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences, Minister of Parliament Affairs, Work Place Solutions (PTY) LTD, the IEC and political parties registered with the IEC challenging the appointment of the IEC Commissioners.
Enjoy our daily newsletter from today
Access exclusive newsletters, along with previews of new media releases.
Justice Monaphathi’s order also prohibited the Council of State and His Majesty from taking any steps in relation to the performance of any activity pursuant to the recommendations of Work Place Solutions (PTY) LTD pending finalisation of the case. The order also directs that anybody responsible for keeping the records of proceedings of the sub-committee or a body of registered political should dispatch the record within seven days after the grant of this order which entails that the award of the tender for the facilitation of the appointment of Commissioners to the IEC to Work Place Solutions (PTY) LTD. The record of proceedings also entails the records incidental to and connected to the shortlisting and or interviewing criteria of the candidates for the appointment of Commissioners to the IEC. The main case will be heard on Wednesday.