Georgetown, Guyana – Auguss 25, 2025 – A political and constitutional battle will be played out in the High Court in the coming days as the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) pressed its challenge against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) over ballot access in several regions.
The application was filed in the name of Krystal Hadassah Fisher, who argues that GECOM’s practice of excluding political parties from ballots in districts where they have not submitted candidate lists violates citizens’ rights.
Fisher, a resident of Region Nine, contends that the move effectively denies voters in her district the chance to support FGM.Representing GECOM was attorney Arudranauth Gossai, while Fisher was represented by Vivian Williams. Attorney General Anil Nandlall also joined the case, insisting that since constitutional relief was being sought, the State had to be represented.
Speaking with reporters after the hearing, Nandlall made it clear that he would not be filing an affidavit of defence, explaining that the matter “is purely a question of law and interpretation.” He said the case rests on convincing the court of GECOM’s interpretation of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act (ROPA). “We have a PR system,” Nandlall noted, describing how parties are required to contest in a minimum number of geographic constituencies to qualify nationally.
“You have a right to vote, yes, but that right is not absolute. If your party is not contesting in a constituency, then its name cannot appear on the ballot there.” According to the affidavit, both FGM and the Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) were cleared to contest the elections nationally.
However, FGM’s name was absent from ballots in Regions Seven, Eight, and Nine, while ALP’s was missing in Regions One and Two. Both argue that despite not submitting candidate lists in those areas, they had satisfied the law by contesting in at least six constituencies, the national minimum.
Fisher’s attorney pushed back, questioning where the Constitution or ROPA explicitly states that parties must field candidates in a constituency to appear on the ballot there. “That is the crux of the matter,” he said, insisting that citizens are being stripped of their constitutional right to vote for the party of their choice.
The case resumes tomorrow when the parties are expected to submit their legal arguments. Chief Justice (ag) Navindra Singh has promised a swift decision, aiming to conclude the matter before the end of the week.
