The National Party has launched a judicial review against the Electoral Commission after the regulator imposed a 7.5% vote deduction ahead of the May 2026 General Election.
The penalty was issued on 23 March over what the Commission described as a “failure to implement constitutional reforms”.
This afternoon, the Electoral Commission confirmed it had been served legal papers relating to the case.
In a statement, the Commission said it was “happy to defend the decisions of the Commission in a court of law” and would comply with “whatever verdict is laid down by His Majesty’s Courts”.
Deputy Chairman Exarkhos will act as legal counsel for the Commission.
Court filings submitted by the National Party argue that the Electoral Commission acted “beyond the scope of the powers given to them under the Political Party Governance Act 2025” and imposed sanctions for conduct that is not listed as an electoral offence under the law.
The party also claims the Commission had previously described its constitution as “fully legal pursuant to the Political Party Governance Act”, despite calling it “slightly undemocratic” in a memorandum written in December 2025.
The judicial review further alleges that the Commission chose to “bypass this statutory process and impose electoral penalties”.
The National Party is asking the court to quash the vote deduction entirely and formally declare the sanction unlawful.
The case is expected to proceed through the civil courts in the coming weeks.