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Group files suit against Wu, Hau over elections

A group of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators and Taipei City councilors filed a lawsuit against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) over a dispute surrounding the voting system to be used in the legislative elections and two referendums.

Leading five Taipei City councilors, DPP Legislator Kao Chien-chih (高建智) on Friday accused Wu and Hau of breaching Article 153 of the Criminal Code (刑法) for "inciting others to commit crimes or violate laws" by insisting on adopting a "two step" voting format in the Jan. 12 legislative elections and the two parallel referendums.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) adopted a one-step voting system on Nov. 16, but Wu said that 18 local governments controlled by the pan-blue camp objected to the scheme and would adopt a two-step format.

Taipei City Councilor Chuang Ruey-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said the CEC is responsible for holding and supervising national and local elections. He accused Wu, who is not in charge of any local CEC operations, of publicly taking the lead in defying the CEC's decision and inciting people to reject the "one step" format.

Chuang also accused Hau, in his capacity as Taipei mayor, of resisting the central government's order by saying that he would adopt two-step voting, thus breaking Article 134 of the Criminal Code.

At a separate setting, Legislative Speaker and KMT member Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said yesterday that the voting format controversy was the result of political wrangling between the governing and the opposition camps and raised questions as to why the government insisted on using one-step voting.

The 2004 presidential election was held using the two-step voting system, he said, adding that he only sought to play a role as a fair third party, regardless of party affiliation.

Under the one-step voting system, voters will receive two ballots for the legislative elections and two for the referendums from two different desks. Each is to be cast into a separate box.
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