Voters register: Supreme court rules on NDC, EC case today
The supreme court will today deliver its ruling on the consolidated case in which the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a Ghanaian citizen Mark Takyi Banson is challenging the Electoral Commission (EC)’s decision to exclude the existing voters ID card as a valid prove of identity for the registration of a new voters register.
The apex court on Wednesday dismissed an amicus brief filed by policy Think tank, IMANI Africa together with three others.
They’d prayed the court to provide key information to the panel of Judges adjudicating the consolidated case.
The CSOs – IMANI Africa, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation and Conservative Policy Research Center – had served notice to volunteer relevant information to the court.
But the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah who presided over the hearing on Wednesday, in his ruling before dismissing the case said “The need for an amicus brief is not supported by law”
According to the bench, the amicus brief filed by the think tanks did not necessarily bring anything new to the case and previous utterances in the media landscape by the CSOs suggests that they are supportive of one party in the case and hence cannot be a neutral party.
The bench also wondered why the think tanks had not shown interest in the first writ regarding the NDC vs Attorney General and EC which also sought similar reliefs.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Electoral Commission has for the third time been sued for its decision to compile a new voters register.
This third writ unlike the previous two has been filed at an Accra High Court.
Ashaiman MP Ernest Nogbey wants the High court to rule that the EC does not have the mandate to compile a new register.
While the the consolidated case is slated to be heard by the Supreme court today,June 25, the new case filed by the legislator is due at the High Court on Monday June 29.