The seven members of the PN’s electoral commission announced one day before the leadership election that they would be stepping down en masse as soon as the result of the leadership election became known last week, in protest at the way they were treated throughout the process, this newspaper can reveal.

Sources close to the commission, headed by former European Commissioner Joe Borg, said that its members were fed up with the accusations levelled against it during the leadership campaign.

Reports had surfaced throughout the summer about problems with the voting process.

Some lifetime PN members were reportedly informed they were unable to collect their voting documents after discovering that their names were absent from the PN’s registry. A source said those responsible for ensuring the PN’s membership database was in order shifted the blame onto the electoral commission instead.

Earlier this month, assistant secretary general Jean Pierre Debono, who has backed Adrian Delia for leader, said any errors involving lifetime members absent from the registry were the electoral commission’s fault.

The sources said it was felt that Mr Debono had a lot of explaining to do about the membership issues that were raised during the leadership battle.

A PN spokesman yesterday confirmed the resignations.  He said they had been submitted before the second round of voting held on September 16 but took effect from when the result of the election became known.

According to the spokesman, the electoral commission submitted its resignation before the result was issued, as it did not want the resignation to be interpreted as a no-confidence vote in the new party leader, regardless of result. Attempts to reach Dr Borg yesterday failed.

The PN has still to elect its other top officials, including the two deputy leaders and secretary general, in a process new leader Adrian Delia wants to see concluded by the end of the year. This means a new commission will have to be appointed soon.

The submission of the members’ resignations also came a day after the commission concluded a report rebuking Mr Debono over his handling of proxy votes in the leadership election.

The Times of Malta reported yesterday that Mr Debono could face disciplinary action by the party’s top body in light of the electoral commission’s findings.

According to the leaked report, the commission was told Mr Debono had,  through a proxy, collected a member’s voting document issued without his consent. The member said the signature on the proxy was not his.

Mr Debono admitted to having issued proxies bearing his signature so that sectional committees could collect voting documents on behalf of members unable to do so themselves.

The commission chided Mr Debono for not informing it of what it described as a “ruse”, noting that what happened had only come to light by accident. It also criticised him for failing to verify the members’ signatures on the proxies and condemned the falsification of signatures as an “illicit electoral practice”.

However, it saw no need to suspend the election, because there were safeguards in place to ensure voter identity.

Party sources said the police had not been called in to investigate the potential fraud, as it was up to the PN’s Administrative Council to decide what the next steps would be.

Election candidate resigns from party

PN 2017 electoral candidate Kevin Cassar, who has likened Adrian Delia to Donald Trump, last night submitted his resignation as a lifelong member of the party.

In his letter to assistant secretary general Jean Pierre Debono, he cited Dr Delia’s choices as one of the reasons. He said he had questions over the new PN leader’s Jersey account and serious doubts about his financial position and debts, including the tax he owes.

But the most worrying factor, said Prof. Cassar, was the talk of “fighting hate”. He said this was being used to justify attacks on those who criticise the leader, including journalists and party members. The talk against “the establishment” had served to incite hatred against those who had worked honestly for the party. A “personality cult” was being established that was inimical to the principles of democracy.