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Six years ago, slain investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was arrested over reports she had used her blog to influence voters on the “day of reflection” in that year’s election. The electoral law lays down that it is unlawful to print and broIs ‘day of reflection’ relevant?
Six years ago, slain investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was arrested over reports she had used her blog to influence voters on the “day of reflection” in that year’s election. The electoral law lays down that it is unlawful to print and broadcast any material likely to influence voters in the exercise of the franchise a day before polling and on the actual day of the election. Fast forward to May 24 and 25 this year and the political scenario presented a case in which the two main political parties made a mockery of the same law on the social media. The Electoral Commission and the police have been alerted to this but it remains to be seen whether or not any action will be taken against them. Or has the time come to finally put a stop to what to all intents and purposes has become an unmanageable legal condition largely outdated in the age of the internet, apart from the fact that it is difficult to determine what would ‘influence’ a voter because that, of course, depends very much on the individual? Should the condition, therefore, be struck off altogether from the electoral law or should it be modified? While newspapers, radios and television stations dutifully... Read more