Destiny Church co-founder Hannah Tamaki has been accused of trying to gerrymander the voting process of the Maori Women's Welfare League.
Mrs Tamaki was nominated for the league's presidency but her name was left off voting ballot papers sent out earlier this month, prompting her to take a legal challenge in the High Court in Wellington. As well, several league branches affiliated with the Destiny Church did not receive voting papers.
Her lawyer Hayden Wilson told the High Court on Wednesday that those branches were founded in accordance with the league's constitution.
However, Justice Kos questioned the way in which 10 Destiny-affiliated branches were established, with identical meeting times, identical minutes and members drawn from all over the country.
The league's lawyer Alan Knowsley said in order to participate in voting, those branches had to be financial members of the league at the end of June, but they weren't.
Mr Knowsley also said in order to protect its mana and integrity, the organisation had to have the power to suspend those branches and their ability to vote, pending the outcome of an investigation into their establishment.
He said if the league couldn't do that, gerrymandering of the vote could occur, without the organisation having a chance to look at it.
A ruling will be given on Thursday.
