KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Constituted Authority has rejected a request by Paul Buchanan, the losing candidate in the recently concluded general election for St Andrew West Central, to have the constituency’s results declared void.

The People’s National Party (PNP) candidate lost his bid to represent the St Andrew West Central seat to Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, who amassed a total of 7,054 votes to Buchanan’s 4,953 votes in the September 3 general election.

In a letter dated September 16, Buchanan urged the Constituted Authority to apply to the Election Court on the basis of section 37(e) of the Election Petition Act. That provision allows for an election to be challenged where violence or irregularities on polling day could cause “a substantial distortion or subversion of the process of free and fair election”.

Buchanan supported his claim with several affidavits from himself and other individuals.

READ: PNP’s Buchanan files application to void St Andrew West Central poll over ‘irregularities’

However, after reviewing the submissions and relevant case law, the authority ruled that the evidence fell short of the threshold set out in the legislation. As a result, the authority declined to take the matter to court.

Buchanan was officially informed of the decision in writing on September 30, along with the authority’s detailed reasons for the refusal.