Miles Coates, member of the Oxford Union standing committee in Trinity term 2011, has been disqualified from elections for electoral malpractice.
A tribunal brought against Coates by Daniel Alphonsus, found him guilty of breaching Rule 33 (a) (i) (24) which implicated Coates of “taking part in a conspiracy” to commit electoral malpractice.
The election tribunal, held on 25th June, disqualified Coates from the election and further disqualified him from nominating himself in future elections.
The Ex-standing committee member was also fined the cost of the tribunal, which is a maximum of £500.
Alphonsus also noted two other breaches of election practice. The tribunal found that Coates had no case to answer for these.
When contacted, Coates and Alphonsus both declined to comment.
Coates has since given notice to the Senior officers that he wishes to appeal the final report of the tribunal panel under Rule 33 (d) (ii) (2) which states that “any Member who has had an allegation brought against him during the election concerned” has the right to appeal to an Appellate Board.
Izzy Westbury, the incoming Union President, stated “The Senior Treasurer has since granted leave to appeal and requested that the Returning Officer convenes an Appellate Board, which I believe he is currently in the process of doing.
“This process is therefore still pending and no conclusions have yet been made.’
The Union was also stirred by presidential rivalries earlier this term when ex-President James Kingston (Michelmas 2010) submitted a complaint against Karim Agha, Rahul Ahluwalia, James Langman and Ashvir Sangha on 18 June.
Sangha has denied all allegations and stated ‘I deny the charges against me and given that I feel they are without basis, I hope to be and am confident I will be acquitted in due course.’
Disciplinary proceedings have been delayed until 1st week of Michaelmas 2011 as requested by the defendants.
Westbury said, “This application was granted by the Acting Returning Officer at the time, David Blagbrough, so proceedings will occur in accordance with this application.”
