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Threat to electoral body

Constitutional Tribunal sets 48 hour deadline for the Catalan Electoral Commision to cease any activity involved with organising the Referendum

Spain’s Constitutional Tribunal (TC) has now set its sights on the members of the Sindicatura Electoral (the Catalan electoral commision) and yesterday gave a period of 48 hours to cease their activity or it will apply coercive measures, ranging from fines, suspension of office, and the possibility of criminal proceedings. The court yesterday sent a requirement to the members appointed by Parliament on September 6 stating that members must report compliance with the resolution of the ruling to cease all actions related to the October 1 referendum.

The TC suspended the Referendum Law on September 7, just one day after is was passed, and along with it the appointment of five members of the Electoral Commission of Catalonia, which in turn extends to the adjunct territorial electoral offices throughout Catalonia.

The newly appointed President of the Commission has announced the appointment of the members of the 15 delegate representatives for Barcelona, Lleida, Tarragona, Girona and Aran.

Following those appointments, the TC says that it has become aware that the Commission has not adhered to its judicial requirement and the present notification to cease all activities is the result. The threat of legal and possibly criminal action extends further than to simply the five members of the Commission and also now includes the territorial delegates. All those involved now have two days to notify the Tribunal in Madrid of their compliance with the requirement.

The TC was given the right to prosecution by the central government in 2015 with the PP holding an absolute majority.

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