The Electoral Commission has said that as they believe in the sanctity of the law, they respect the decision of the Supreme Court.
The Electoral Commission in a statement after the ruling has said it takes this opportunity to assure its stakeholders that the Voters Registration Exercise will start from Tuesday, the 30th of June, 2020 to the 6th of August, 2020.
"The Commission entreats all its stakeholders to hold themselves in readiness for the Voters Registration Exercise," the statement read.
The Supreme Court in a ruling today(Thursday) said that, "The Electoral Commission in exercising their discretion in the discharge of their constitutional mandate in cleaning the voters' register should be deemed as authorized to be acting within the regulations therein, and cannot be faulted even if it is considered that there is a more efficient mode or method available."
In a statement signed by the Acting Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Sylvia Annor, the Electoral Commission has therefore assured the public that the voters' registration exercise will start from Tuesday, the 30th of June,2020 to the 6th of August, 2020 as planned.
The Commission has also entreated all its stakeholders to hold themselves in readiness for the voters' registration exercise.
"The Commission will enforce strict safety protocols at its registration Centres across the country so as to protect Applicants from the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement concluded.
Read full statement attached
Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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Mr. Brobbey, Thanks for the details of the decision. It's good for the benefit of readers. The issue of the old voter's ID card is a dead and buried matter. The case has been decided by the apex court of law in accordance with their mandated original jurisdiction of constitutional interpretation per Article 130 (1) (a) and (b) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana. Failure to comply or carry out the terms of the order or direction by the supreme court constitutes a high crime with its consequential punishment ( refer to Article 2 (2), (3), (4) and (5) for details). The matter is now Res Judicata.
The Supreme Court (SC) of Ghana sat and came out with her verdict on the suit against the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana on the impending compilation of new voters register 25/06/20. After the verdict, the bone of contention has been whether the EC obliged to use the old voter's ID card. Now let us look at the various remits of the verdict. In the SC's verdict all the 8 substantial reliefs were dismissed except the second and third reliefs. 'Relief two' permits all eligible voters avail themselves for registration as directed by the EC in accordance to the law- the prevailing CONSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENT (C.I.) 126-(amendment regulation 2020). 'Relief three' grants the EC to go ahead to compile the new public election voters register subject to the prevailing CONSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENT 126-(amendment regulation 2020). However the reiteration of the case between Abu Ramadan and Nimako vrs EC and Attorney General (AG) referencing of article 296 expresses the permission of the judicious use of her discretional powers by the EC. In this remit, the key words are 'due process of law' and 'consistency with the constitution of Ghana'. SC CONSEQUENCIAL ORDERS In the nutshell, the SC of Ghana orders all parties in this suit and eligible Ghanaian voters to comply with article 42 and 45 of Ghana Constitution, and C.I. 126 regulated by the EC and (AG). This SC verdict directs the EC and AG to commence the compilation of the public voter's register as planned. This ruling by the SC makes it that any court in Ghana dealing with same or similar case apply this SC verdict. Going back to the bone of contention, the documents permitted by law for registration in new public voter's register, one can find them only in the current C.I. 126. These documents are: Ghana National ID card, Ghana passport and the guarantee by registered voter under the prevailing C.I. 126. Now the conjecture has been around the above third requirement for impending registration schedule to start at the end of this month. The permitted voters ID as a requirement has to be permitted by the prevailing C.I. 126, and this ID is to be given birth to by the impending voter's registration exercise. Clearly let us look at this!! The food at the kitchen (electoral register) has gone bad, do we continue eating it? No we have to prepare a new dish. Investigations conducted revealed that the process of preparation is the reason why the food has gone bad, do we repeat the same recipe? By careful look at the statements in the verdict of the SC, I do not see any chance of qualification for the old voter's ID card.