- Le chef juge Eddy Balancy à Me Anwar Moolllan, SC de l’ESC: « We hold that it is for the whole bench to decide this point. This is why the whole bench is hearing you »
- L’ESC insiste pour que le chef juge se récuse dans le Constitutional Case de Rezistans & Alternativ
Les échanges de points de vue étaient particulièrement suivis hier en Cour suprême dans le cadre du Constitutional Case sur la réforme électorale logé par Rezistans ek Alternativ (ReA) contre l’État. Me Anwar Moollan, Senior Counsel, représentant de l’Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC), a été autorisé à plaider pendant 45 minutes sur la procédure à adopter pour que le chef juge, Eddy Balancy, se récuse dans la présente affaire. L’homme de loi de l’ESC a tenté d’expliquer que les autres juges du “bench” se prononcent, sans inclusion du chef juge, sur cette question de contestation.
En effet, l’État et le commissaire électoral contestent la présence d’Eddy Balancy dans la composition du panel. Ce “Full Bench” est composé du Senior Puisne Judge, Asraf Caunhye, et des juges David Chan Kan Cheong, Nirmala Devat et Gaitree Jugessur-Manna. Me Moollan SC a dû faire face à une série de questions de la part du chef juge hier sur cette question de procédure légale. « We hold that it is for the whole bench to decide this point. This is why the whole bench is hearing you and afterwards we’ll give an opportunity to your friends to answer you. When they will answer you then this Bench will rule on whether this will be the correct procedure », a expliqué Eddy Balancy.
Eddy Balancy : You are saying at this stage that this is a matter to be decided by the other judges ?
Me Anwar Moollan : Yes
EB : But if it is decided by the other judges, then what becomes of the motion of recusal ? Because the motion for recusal is one which I should challenge myself ? How can it be that a motion where I should recuse myself is decided by another bench ?
AM : Because my Lord it will take away this real possibility that on a matter of such magnitude and importance that we are today, this matter maybe quashed at a later stage for improper reasons which do not affect the whole case.
EB : Is it not absolutely incongruous that the decision should be taken by others when I am asked to recuse myself ?
AM : We disagree on that.
EB : It seems to me you are going off the track. Is it not incongruous in a motion asking that a judge should challenge himself, to say that the decision should be taken not by the judge himself but by others ?
AM : What your Lordship does in recusal motion is not to look at the motion in a vacuum but with the facts put forward. I am humbly putting it to you that it ought to be some other bench. In the circumstances here I suggest it is the same bench without your Lordship… I believe that in the specifics where we are today and with the constraints issues that we have, if we have anything to decide, it ought to be this Court. Your Lordship should abstain for the benefit of the Supreme Court.
EB : Mr Moollan you are jumping there again. Now we are at preliminary stage about the whole deciding on the issue of procedure. Then in accordance and in full respect of the decision of this whole bench, you will be able to give your views.
AM : The point is my Lord, it is my humble submission to you that this contestation ought not to happen at a later stage before a later Tribunal. I understand the difficulties. In such a matter we will be asking some other Court to decide what is the procedure or the manner in which your Lordship has acted.
Le chef juge, Eddy Balancy, a également invité, ce vendredi, les autres parties concernées à venir avec leurs arguments sur la suggestion de Me Anwar Moollan. Après quoi, une décision écrite sera rendue sur ladite contestation. Une décision sera probablement rendue sur ce contentieux légal le même jour.
Pour sa part, à la sortie de la Cour suprême hier, l’animateur de ReA, Ashok Subron, s’est dit être « triste » que l’Electoral Commission et l’Electoral Supervisory Commission, qui ont été sollicitées par le chef juge pour collaborer dans cette affaire comme “co-defendants”, « inn marye pike » pour « challenge » le chef juge. « Nou pe poz nou bann kestion serye lor rol ESC ek Electoral Commissionner dans sa zafer-la. Zot rol se pou asir bann dispozision legal. Lepep Moris anvi enn denouman dan sa zafer-la. ReA pou bizin kandida pou prosin eleksion zeneral », a conclu Ashok Subron.