NDC no more against EC on new voter register

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has withdrawn one of its two demands in the case at the Supreme Court against the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) on the compilation a new voter register.

The largest opposition part was given an option by the Court on Thursday to choose whether it wants the Court to decide on the exclusion of the existing voters’ ID cards or the compilation of an entirely new register.

Under the circumstances, lead counsel for the NDC Godwin Tamakloe was not allowed to consult his clients before making a choice.

He thus asked the Supreme Court to proceed only with the matter challenging the exclusion of the existing voter’s ID card as one of the basic required documents for registration.

The NDC had contended that “upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 45(a) of the 1992 Constitution, 2nd Defendant (the EC) has the constitutional power to, and can, compile a register of voters only once, and thereafter revise it periodically, as may be determined by law”.

Against this background, the NDC argued it will be unconstitutional for the EC to want to compile a completely new voter register.

This matter has, however, been discarded following Thursday’s proceedings.

The Court will, as a result, decided whether or not the EC can exclude the existing voters’ ID cards as a requirement for compiling the new register, which begins on Monday, June 30

The court set Tuesday, June 23 to deliver judgement on the matter.

Meanwhile, there was high security presence at the Supreme Court shortly before sitting began.

Source: editors.3news.com|Ghana