The Supreme Court of Vanuatu has given the Electoral Commission 14 days to recount the Torres constituency votes from the recent National Election.

Justice Oliver Saksak made this order when he accepted an election petition filed by a candidate from the constituency, Morris Manmelin.

Mr Manmelin stood for the Leaders Party of Vanuatu, which has joined the coalition government led by Prime Minister Bob Loughman, but Claude Christopher Emelee of the Vanuatu National Development Party was declared to have won the March 2020 election.

Mr Manmelin says according to the records taken from that constituency, he gets more votes but the official count does not show this.

Justis Oliver Saksak has heard from three witnesses who supported Mr Manmelin’s claim and called for a recount of the votes from the Torres constituency.

Mr Manmelin says the number of votes that the Electoral Commission had announced does not match the unofficial results.