South Australian Consolidated Acts South Australian Consolidated Acts (1) The Court must sit
as an open court, and its powers include the following:
(a) to
adjourn;
(b) to
compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents;
(c) to
examine witnesses on oath, affirmation or declaration;
(d) with
the consent of the parties to the proceedings, to receive evidence on
affidavit or by statutory declaration;
(e)
subject to this Act and the rules, to determine its procedure in each case;
(f) to
declare—
(i)
that a person who was returned as elected was not duly
elected; and
(ii)
that a candidate who was not returned as elected was duly
elected;
(g) to
declare an election void;
(h) to
dismiss or uphold a petition, in whole or in part;
(i)
to amend or allow the amendment of a petition or reply;
(j) to
punish contempt of its authority by fine or imprisonment.
(2) The Court may
exercise all or any of its powers under this section on such grounds as
the Court in its discretion thinks just and sufficient.
(3) The Court is not
bound by the rules of evidence.
(4) The Court must act
according to good conscience and the substantial merits of the case without
regard to legal technicalities.
(5) A decision of
the Court is final and without appeal.