The Electoral Commission has decided to reprint the ballot sheets, basing its decision on an article of the General Elections Act which states that the voting papers cannot be printed before 13 days prior to the election date.

However, during a meeting today which sources described as noisy, there was divergence on the interpretation of this article as early voting is taking place on May 17, a full week before the actual election day.

The Electoral Commission met at its Valletta offices this afternoon to discuss the way forward after Labour MEP candidate Cyrus Engerer withdrew from the election race.

It met to discuss the way forward in the light of Article 55 of the General Elections Act which precludes a candidate from withdrawing his candidature after the ballot sheets would have been printed.

“A candidate may, at any time until the ballot papers for the district he is contesting have started to be printed in terms of article 49, withdraw his candidature by giving notice to the Commission to that effect,” Article 55 states.

Sources said the reprint will cost the country’s coffers €150,000 and this figure does not include the extra amounts which the country has to fork out to receive the supply of security paper needed to print the fresh votes.