High Court dismisses FGM’s election petition case

The High Court on Tuesday dismissed an election petition filed by the Forward Movement Guyana (FGM) after the matter was found to be riddled with procedural deficiencies.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, provided the update on Tuesday during his weekly Facebook podcast “Issues in the news”.

The petition, filed by Randolph Critchlow on behalf of the Forward Movement Guyana through Attorney-at-Law Vivian Williams, sought to invalidate the September 1, 2025, elections in several regions.

In dismissing the matter on April 14, 2026, Chief Justice Navendra Singh awarded $350,000 in costs each to the Guyana Elections Commission, the Chief Elections Officer, and the AG.

The AG had applied to have the petition dismissed, citing multiple procedural breaches under the National Assembly Validity of Elections Act.

Among the deficiencies identified by Minister Nandlall were the failure to obtain leave of the court, improper format, naming incorrect parties, insufficient filing copies, and failure to serve relevant stakeholders, including the Speaker of the National Assembly.

“The entire petition was defective and in breach of the relevant rules and laws regarding election petitions,” he stated.

Election petitions in Guyana are governed by a special statutory framework outlined in the National Assembly Validity of Elections Act, which establishes strict procedures for challenging election results.

The AG explained that this legal process is distinct from ordinary court proceedings, as it is considered a specialised jurisdiction with its own rules, timelines and requirements that must be followed precisely.

According to the minister, the statutory framework is supported by longstanding legal principles, which hold that any failure to comply with the prescribed procedures is fatal to an election petition.

He further noted that breaches such as improper filing, incorrect parties or failure to follow required steps automatically render a petition invalid, leading to dismissal regardless of the substantive claims raised.

The ruling follows an earlier legal challenge brought by Krystal Fisher, which was dismissed by the High Court and Court of Appeal, and is currently awaiting a hearing at the Caribbean Court of Justice. [DPI]