Ghana's supreme court dismisses suit against EC by opposition NDC

26 Juin 2020

Accra, Ghana, June 26 (Infosplusgabon)  - Ghana’s supreme court Thursday dismissed a suit filed by the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) to stop the Electoral Commission (EC) from compiling a new voters’ register for this year’s general election.

The ruling by a unanimous decision of the seven-panel member court, paves the way for the EC to proceed with the process of compiling a new voters’ register.

The court, presided over by the chief justice, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, also ruled that a valid Ghana card or national passport are the only valid legal documents required for registering to vote after the passing of the relevant constitutional instrument (CI 126).

Ghana’s apex court also halted all other actions pending against the EC on the voter registration from any court.

On June 9, parliament voted to allow the EC to use the Ghana card and passport as the only forms of identification for persons registering to vote after the relevant CI had been passed.

The EC presented the Public Election (Amendment Regulation,2020 (CI.91 to change the current identification requirements.

However, the NDC said the amendment would lead to a situation whereby many Ghanaians would be disenfranchised.

However, the EC, argued that the current voter ID was “a fruit from a poisoned tree” because it was a breach of the constitution which defined who was a qualified voter.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/QZE/GABON2020

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