Judge throws out activist's case against poll panel
A Shenzhen court yesterday threw out activist Jiang Shan's case against a district election committee for refusing to register him as a voter.
The court said the committee had reversed its decision and confirmed the activist's and his wife's qualifications as voters and candidates in the coming district election shortly after Mr Jiang filed the lawsuit. Chief Judge Dai Weiqun said the case had 'lost its purpose and it was meaningless to continue'.
But Mr Jiang protested against the judge's ruling and insisted on his right to pursue the case, saying the committee's decision was out of line with the election law and had practically ruined his chances of running in Thursday's district people's representative election - the only direct election on the mainland where people can choose their political representatives.
'It is like someone who steals your car and gives it back to you after you take him to court. It is still an illegal act,' he said.
Mr Jiang insisted the court's decision to drop the case was wrong and inconsistent with the law. But the judge refused to hear further from the outspoken activist and ordered his eviction from the court.
The Luohu Election Committee had earlier refused to confirm Mr Jiang's qualification as a voter or a candidate in the district election, without explanation.
Mr Jiang accused the committee of trying to rig the election and decided to take the case to court. The Luohu District People's Court accepted the case but the election committee reversed its decision on Friday.
The hearing was originally scheduled to be held at the Luohu District People's Court yesterday morning but the defendants did not show up. A court staff member then told Mr Jiang that the judge had decided to drop the case.
