Fresh Case against the EC at the Supreme Court over new Voter’s Register

The hurdles that Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) has to overcome before organizing the voter registration exercise and the general election this year seem to be far from over.

This follows a new suit filed at the Supreme Court by Mark Takyi-Banson, a native of Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa in the Central Region against the EC and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

The legal action is based on the decision by the country’s electoral management body to compile a new voter’s register ahead of the December polls. This implies the EC could be compelled by the apex court to do otherwise should the plaintiff succeed with its action.

Among the reliefs the plaintiff is seeking from the court include the following;

1. A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 45(a) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the Electoral Commission’s constitutional and statutory mandate to compile the register of voters for the conduct and supervision of all public elections and referenda is spent saving only the power reserved in the Commission to revise and expand the register of voters at such periods as may be determined by law.
2. A declaration that the Electoral Commission’s decision to compile a new register of voters is inconsistent with and a violation of Article 45(a) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
3. A declaration that Regulation 1(3) of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Amendment Regulations, 2020 (C.I. 126) is inconsistent with and violates the provisions of Article 42 and 45(e) of the 1992 Constitution to the extent that it excludes Birth Certificates issued to Ghanaians as a mode of identification and/or establishing qualifications to be registered in the register of voters.
4. A declaration that Regulation 1(3) of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Amendment Regulations, 2020 (C.I. 126) is inconsistent and violates the provisions of Article 42 and 45(e) of the 1992 Constitution to the extent that it excludes the existing Voter Identification Card as a mode of identification and/or establishing qualification to be registered in the register of voters.
5. An order directed at the 1st Defendant (EC) to include under Regulation 1(3) of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Amendment Regulations, 2020 (C.I. 126), the existing voter identification card issued by the 1st Defendant as evidence of identification and
6. An order directed at 1st Defendant to include under Regulation 1(3) of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Amendment Regulations, 2020 (C.I. 126), a birth certificate as evidence of identification as well as any orders the apex court may deem fit.

It would be recalled that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sued the EC at the Supreme Court over the decision by the latter to exclude the existing voter identification card in the June 30, 2020 registration exercise.

The country’s highest court will deliver its judgement on the case before it on June 23.

Ghana goes to the polls on December 7 this year to elect a President and 275 Members of Parliament (MPs).
Incumbent President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will face stiff competition from former President and NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama.

By Francis Kobena Tandoh || ghananewsonline.com.gh