Electoral amendments to give parties access to medical patients’ lists

Alternattiva Demokratika has declared that recent amendments to the General Elections Act will allow parties access to patients' lists records.

The party's deputy chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said recent amendments to the General Elections Act were in conflict with the provisions of the Data Protection Act.

In a meeting with the Chief Electoral Commissioner held at AD's request in view of recent amendments to the General Elections Act, Cacopardo said the amendments require that state hospitals as well as old people's homes will be submitting regular, updated list of patients and inmates to the political parties for the purposes of monitoring the electoral process.

Prof. Arnold Cassola, who was also present for the meeting, said: "The provisions of these amendments actually allow the 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 inmates are suffering from. This is totally unacceptable in the democratic world."

Carmel Cacopardo said AD will be requesting the Data Protection Commissioner to investigate the manner in which the electoral process will invade the privacy of patients in state hospitals through the list of patients being provided to the political parties.

"The Data Protection Commissioner will be requested to provide remedies ensuring that the provisions of the Data Protection Act are observed."