Court postpones elections

The Malawi High Court on Friday postponed elections due to be held on 18 May after an opposition coalition argued there were serious anomalies in a new voters' roll, news reports said. "The date of Malawi's elections is to be shifted or postponed to no later than 25 May," AFP quoted Judge Healey Potani as saying. The seven-party Mgwirizano (Unity) coalition, led by presidential candidate and veteran opposition politician Gwanda Chakuamba, asked the court on Thursday to delay the elections following controversy over the voter roll. The Malawi Electoral Commission said earlier this year it had registered 6.6 million voters - a figure widely considered to be inflated. When published last Friday after a "cleaning" exercise, the number had dropped to 5.7 million. Under the constitution, voters should have 21 days to scrutinise the roll. The coalition's lawyer Charles Mhango reportedly argued the electoral commission had not left enough time, and that there were two rolls in circulation, which could lead to vote-rigging. The judge ordered a fresh inspection of the voters' lists, which he said should be completed by the end of business on 19 May. The electoral commission on Friday said it would appeal the decision. This year's general election will mark Malawi's third multi-party ballot since 1994. The last poll in 1999 was delayed by a court ruling.