10 Dec 2007

Opposition in Marshall Islands claims vote counting illegal

6:04 am on 10 December 2007

Opposition leaders in the Marshall Islands have accused the government of illegally counting hundreds of votes to reverse results in four seats in last month's election.

Three weeks after the election no formal result has been declared.

However the opposition Aelon Kein Ad, or Our Island Party, says it has the required 17 senators to oust the government of Kessai Note in the 33-seat legislature.

Opposition observers walked out of the official vote counting headquarters claiming it was illegal to count votes cast in remote outer islands two and a half weeks after the election.

The opposition says it will file court challenges to what it says is improper ballot counting.

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