THE Court of Appeal this morning rejected the application for an injunction to prevent the holding of a by-election in the North East St Ann constituency.

The application was rejected by Court of Appeal President Justice Seymour Panton.

This means the by-elections for December 20 can go ahead as announced by Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

The appeal was brought by the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Manley Bowen who wanted the by-election to be stayed pending the determination of an appeal next March against a Supreme Court decision not to hear his application for the seat go directly to defeated PNP candidate Oswest Senior Smith who was defeated in the 2007 general elections.

Jamaica Labour Party candidate Shahine Robinson lost the seat after it was revealed that she was an American citizen at the time of nomination.

She has since renounced her citizenship.

There is also an application being heard in the Supreme Court today, seeking judicial review of Golding’s decision to call the polls. The application, also brought by Bowen, is being heard by Justice Ingrid Mangatal.

Bowen is being represented by attorneys Abe Dabdoub and Raymond Clough.