Kuwait Times, Sunday, May 21, 2023 | Thul-Qidah 1, 1444
Court says ‘not competent to rule on stopping polls’
Kuwait:
The Court of First Instance said on Thursday that
it was not competent to rule on a motion demanding to halt the June 6 snap polls
until the Constitutional Court rules on another petition demanding the reversal
of a March 19 ruling that annulled the September 2022 election. The court said
that halting the elections is a sovereign issue and the court has no powers to
rule on it, adding that the elections are set to go ahead until the
Constitutional Court is scheduled to settle the destiny of the 2022 National
Assembly.
The Constitutional Court on March 19 annulled the September 2022 elections and
scrapped the 2022 Assembly. In addition, it reinstated the 2020 National
Assembly which was dissolved by HH the Amir in August 2022. Illustrating its
verdict, the court said that it found the Amiri decree that dissolved the 2020
Assembly had violated the constitution. As a result, it cancelled the entire
election process held on September 29, 2022 and scrapped the National Assembly
which was elected on that date.
It also revived the 2020 Assembly. But HH the Amir, on a recommendation by the
government decided to dissolve the 2020 Assembly for the second time and called
for the June 6 polls. However, six members of the scrapped 2022 Assembly later
filed a petition demanding that the Constitutional Court reverse its decision
and re-install the 2022 Assembly. The Constitutional Court is scheduled to rule
on the petition next Wednesday.
In the meantime, former MP Marzouk Al-Khalifa on Thursday denied that
authorities barred him from running in the elections. Khalifa was released from
jail on Monday after he was pardoned by HH the Amir from completing a two-year
jail term for taking part in outlawed tribal primary elections.