The battle has started in the election petition matter between the United Workers Party (UWP) and the governing Roosevelt Skerrit led Dominica Labour Party (DLP).
After issues surrounding which judge would have heard the matter was finally settled, both sides appeared before Grenadian based Guyanese born high court judge Raulston Glasgow.
The UWP is seeking to have the court overturn the results in St. Joseph, Mahaut, Morne Jaune, La Plaine, Castle Bruce, Salybia, and Roseau Valley, Roseau Central, Roseau South, and Wesley constituencies.
Anthony Astaphan SC, the lead counsel in the matter for the respondents, filed documents asking the court to “strike out” the claim.
In his presentations, he told the court that every irregularity cannot void an election and the petitioners have not perfected the claim and that they are merely indicating alleged breaches.
“The cause of action was not made out, they were required to plead that their constitutional rights were breached and they were also obligated to label the allegations of bribery,” Astaphan told the court.
He told the court that the pleadings “cannot lead to assumptions”. During Astaphan’s submissions, he was interrupted several times Zahida James counsel for the UWP who told the court that Astaphan was attempting to put forward evidence before the court “through the backdoor and that was wrong.”
At one time, Judge Glasgow threatened to adjourn court so that both sides should “temper down, cool out, and have a glass of water.”
The matter was adjourned to July 29, 2020, and July 31, 2020, but the date of July 29, 2020, has since been canceled and the matter will resume on July 31, 2020.