The Supreme Court had to delay the publication of the official presidential election first round results planned for this Tuesday September 5, 2006, until next weekend, because of the controversy surrounding the date of the second round.

According to Mr. Ali Diabacte, director of MONUC’s Electoral Division, the Supreme Court held a working session with the President of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), on this Tuesday September 5.

This was related to Article 71 of the DRC Constitution, which indicates that the second round of the presidential election must take place 15 days after the publication of the official results of the first round.

The Supreme Court asked the IEC for a dispensation so that the combined elections (the presidential second round and provincial elections) take place on October 29 2006, as envisaged by the electoral calendar. The Supreme Court will rule on this request and subsequently announce a decision on this.

Therefore, only after the examination by the Supreme Court on this issue of article 71 of the Constitution, will they announce the final official results of the first round of the presidential elections.

According to Mr. Diabacte, the final official results of the presidential first round should be known towards the end of the week. Meanwhile, the provisional legislative election results are now due to be published by the IEC on Thursday September 7 next.