Recent amendments to the General Elections Act are in conflict with the provisions of the Data Protection Act, according to Alternattiva Demokratika.

These amendments provided that State hospitals and old people’s homes were to submit regular updated lists of patients to the political parties so that they could monitor the electoral process, deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said, adding AD had met the chief electoral commissioner about the matter.

Arnold Cassola, who was also present for the meeting, said this was totally unacceptable in the democratic world.

“The provisions of these amendments actually allow political parties not only to know who has been admitted to hospital on a daily basis for a whole two months, but also to indirectly know what particular condition or ailment patients are suffering from,” he said.

Mr Cacopardo said AD would be asking the Data Protection Commissioner to investigate the manner in which the electoral process invaded the patients’ privacy.

The Commissioner will be requested to provide remedies ensuring the provisions of the Data Protection Act were properly observed.