An Accra Circuit Court has cleared pressure group, Let My Vote Count, to demonstrate and picket at the country’s Electoral Commission where they are expected to present a petition on the need for a new national voters’ register.
The Ghana Police on September 18 sought an ex-parte injunction to restrain the group from picketing at the EC Tuesday, after the group served notice to picket at the Commission on September 29 following their initial attempt on September 16 failed.
The Police on September 16, prevented the group from going to picket at the Commission and fired tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse the hundreds of Ghanaians protesting against what they claim to be infiltration of foreigners in the country’s voters’ register.
A number of them were injured in the process as a result of an alleged Police brutalities.
But dissatisfied with the Police’s action to stop them the second time, the group filed a motion to set aside the 10-day injunction. When the case came up for hearing this morning, it emerged that the injunction expires by close of today [Monday], prompting the judge, M.E. Essandoh to give the group the green light.
The court said it is the duty of the Police to protect the demonstrators in tomorrow’s demonstration.
Convener of the group, David Asante described the latest development as “victory for democracy”, noting that it was good they decided to follow due process to get the issue resolved rather than defying the Police.
“Everything is intact, we are fired up more because we know we are operating within the confines of the law… I can promise you that come [September] 29 when we go to picket at the EC it will be peaceful,” he told tv3network.com.
The Let My Vote Count group has been demanding a total overhaul of the register; the main document use for the conduct of elections in Ghana. It argued that the register is fraught with foreign names and multiple registration.
By Stephen Kwabena Effah/3news.com/Ghana