O'Neill Welcomes Court Ruling

 Former  PNG Prime Minister and the Member for Ialibu Pangia, Peter O'Neill, has welcomed the supreme court's decision today.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the decision of Speaker Job Pomat in recalling Parliament on November 16th was unconstitutional, invalid, and ineffective. 

O'Neill Welcomes Court Ruling . NBC News Photo 

Subsequently, the five men bench ruled that the Parliament sitting on November 17th was unconstitutional, invalid, and ineffective.

The court ruled Parliament be convened next Monday at 10am.

Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika as chair ruled primary among other issues, Speaker Pomat has no powers under the Constitution to overrule the decisions made by the Deputy Speaker and majority in Parliament on the 13th of November to adjourn Parliament to the 1st of December.

Justice David Cannings further ruled that the Speaker invoked no legal powers but his own opinion, and should have sought the court's intervention to interpret whether what happened on the 13th of November was legal or not.

The court ruled that the decision of Parliament on 17th November to adjourn to 20th April is unconstitutional, invalid, and ineffective.

All other deliberations in Parliament on the 17th of November including the passage of the 2021 National Budget was ruled unconstitutional, invalid, and ineffective.

Actions by parliament on the 13th of November has been ruled Constitutional and effective.

Former Prime Minister and the Member for Ialibu Pangia, Peter O'Neill, welcomed the decision outside court.

NBC News/ PNG Today

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