Following the original case on 21st March, 2012, the judge ruled in favour of the opposition Concerned Citizens Movement, CCM, indicating that the declaration of Mr. Hensley Daniel, of the ruling Nevis Reformation Party, (NRP), as the winner of the St. John’s Constituency, was null and void. This therefore, based on the constitution of St. Kitts and Nevis, required the calling of a new election, but instead, the NRP requested and was granted a stay of execution of that decision, paving the way for an appeal to be launched.
The appeal matter was subsequently heard, starting on 5th July, 2012, and the judge is now set on Monday to make known his decision, which according to law, cannot be entertained by further appeal. In other words, if the appeal by NRP is not allowed, the seat now held by Hensley Daniel would become vacant and his positions as Deputy Premier and a Minister in the island Cabinet, would also be voided. A new poll would have to be held within 90 days. However, most political observers believe that instead of having a bye-election the NRP Administration, led by Premier Joseph Parry, would opt for another General Election, in which all five constituencies would be of for grabs. However, if the appeal is successful, then the life of the current NRP Administration would continue, some hope, without further rancor.
The whole case however, has further divided the island of 10,000 people, whose loyalty is almost equally split across party lines. 
There was a time however, when local elections in Nevis were held and folks in the sister island of St. Kitts were not even aware. The reason for that, advanced one political commentator, was the peaceful and harmonious culture that existed at the time, between the various political groups.
Now, argued the observer, there is so much personal hatred, acrimony and pure “nastiness” that characterize the political landscape of the island, that if not carefully checked, the quiet nature for which Nevis is well known could easily be replaced with a new image that could turn the “Nevis Nice” tourism slogan, into public relations nightmare.
Already, the man who ran against Daniel and who challenged the original outcome, Deputy CCM Leader, Mark Brantley, said this weekend that he would be willing to accept whatever decision is made by the judge on Monday; not that he has any other legal option. It was Brantley who was said to have lost the seat to Daniel by 14 votes, with 14 spoilt ballots. On the night of the election count, Brantley held a large and comfortable lead over Daniel, but by the time the final box of votes were counted, from the home district of Daniel, (Cox), it was the NRP Deputy Leader who was declared the winner.
This was immediately met with demonstration and the court actions by Brantley and his CCM party who argued that the election was unfair due to certain alleged fraudulent activities on the part of some electoral officials. One of the arguments advanced was that over 200 persons who were lawfully registered to vote were prevented by the Electoral Office from exercising their franchise, because their names were unceremoniously and illegally taken off the Voters List. This was agreed to by the judge in the first hearing when he declared the seat vacant.
So as Nevisians await the court decision, speculations are high that the NRP is already preparing for an election, especially given the recent political meetings that have been held by the party.
Most Nevisians however, recognize that the island has been in a state of instability ever since the last poll and they have been calling on all political parties to put the best interest of the island, as their first priority.
This political divisiveness was quite evident during the annual Culturama celebrations earlier this month, when many CCM members refused to participate. Some have also argued that the decision by the Minister of Culture on the island, who also happens to be Hensley Daniel, to prevent the newly crowned calypso King, Mr. Keith “King Dis N Dat” Scarborough, from entering the Leeward Islands Calypso Competition, was politically motivated.
Daniel defended his actions however saying his decision was necessary because the king was disrespectful to the Premier, when he suggested in one of his songs that Mr. Parry was a “dumb dumb”.
In addition to being Calypso King, Dis N Dat is also a politician and in the 2011 election, he ran against Premier Parry in the St. Thomas constituency, losing by a huge margin.