We have published leading articles in the same vein three times now. And we are, of course, referring to the law that governs the period of reflection prior to polling day.

We published one such leader in the run-up to the 2008 election and we then published another one in the run-up to the Divorce Referendum in 2011. Each time, we called the law ‘about as useful as a chocolate teapot’. The analogy might be funny, but really and truly, the situation as it stands is ridiculous.

The period of reflection is supposed to be a break from politics after a campaign, in order for voters to have ‘peace of mind’ to be able to weigh up who they are going to vote for on the day. The mere fact that we also have to pussy-foot around in this article, while thousands of others are busy posting away on social networks is testament enough to this ludicrously outdated law.

It is 2013, the digital age. The age where everyone, everywhere, has the access to information and the ability to tweet, post status updates, share articles and disseminate information at will. Yet we, the mainstream media, have to remain silent.

Plenty of political activity took place yesterday, yet we could not report it, and yet, the internet is buzzing with activity – all related to the election and who is going to vote for who and how and why and when.

But then again, this is the same country that has only started to allow businesses to be open for trade near polling stations in the very recent past. We have to move on. There has been talk of a Second Republic and the need to overhaul the Constitution, but the country would be far better off if a good look was taken at all the benign, stupid and outdated legislation that blights this country – and the law in question is surely one of them.

If one were to examine the matter further, one could even say that it might be a curb on freedom of expression and shackles to the right to seek out information. We ask the question, what difference is it going to make? Maltese people do take elections seriously and we were all driven to distraction by this lengthy campaign, but honestly, what is the point of this law? These are not times that are charged with confrontation and violence… all in all, people have done well in keeping calm and getting on with their daily business. But as we have written already, people are going to be discussing matters on the internet and politicians (oops forbidden word) and their followers will be sticking as much stuff as they possibly can on the social networks all the way up to the close of voting on Saturday.  As it stands, this law should go. So yes, for the third time, we say it… the law is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.