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bananas

(27,509 posts) Tue Mar 26, 2013, 07:55 AM Mar 2013

Japan court rules some election results 'invalid'

Source: Agence France-Presse

Japan's politicians were grappling with possible implications Tuesday after a high court said some general election results were invalid, with other rulings expected later in the day.

Judges in Hiroshima, western Japan, Monday declared the ballot in two constituencies in last December's poll were unconstitutional and invalid, the first time a court has said a result was void.

The ruling said a huge disparity in the value of votes, caused by the vastly differing sizes of constituencies, meant some voters were partially disenfranchised.

However, the election result does not immediately get overturned and will be appealed to the supreme court.

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Read more: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130326/japan-court-rules-some-election-results-invalid

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Highlight:

Japan court rules some election results 'invalid' (Original Post) bananas Mar 2013 OP

Another court rules Lower House vote 'invalid' bananas Mar 2013 #1

Supreme Court said in March 2011 the existing election districts were "unconstitutional" bananas Mar 2013 #2

bananas

(27,509 posts)

1. Another court rules Lower House vote 'invalid'

Reply to bananas (Original post)

Tue Mar 26, 2013, 08:18 AM

Mar 2013

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201303260085

Another court rules Lower House vote 'invalid'
March 26, 2013
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

OKAYAMA--For the second time in as many days, a high court has ruled that last year’s Lower House election results were invalid due to the unconstitutional disparity in the value of votes.

But the March 26 ruling of the Okayama branch of the Hiroshima High Court went further in pressing the Diet to rectify the electoral system.

It said the outcome of the Dec. 16 Lower House vote in the Okayama No. 2 district in Okayama Prefecture will be immediately nullified if the Okayama prefectural election board decides not to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

The previous day, the Hiroshima High Court ruled that the election results in two constituencies in Hiroshima Prefecture were unconstitutional and invalid because of the vote disparity. It was the first such court decision in postwar Japan.

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bananas

(27,509 posts)

2. Supreme Court said in March 2011 the existing election districts were "unconstitutional"

Reply to bananas (Original post)

Tue Mar 26, 2013, 08:23 AM

Mar 2013

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/japan-court-rules-some-election-results-invalid/articleshow/19212534.cms

26 Mar, 2013, 10.54AM IST, AFP
Japan court rules some election results 'invalid'

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A further verdict is expected Wednesday, bringing to 16 the total that will have gone through the courts since the December poll.

Lawsuits over vote disparities thus far have resulted in findings that ballots were "unconstitutional" but "valid," with judges doing little more than urging politicians to fix the system.

But Monday's high court ruling said politicians failed to correct vote disparities within a "reasonable period of time that is allowed under the constitution", after the supreme court said in March 2011 the existing election districts were "unconstitutional".

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