The Tema High Court "B" yesterday set November 24, 2023, as the deadline for issuing its decision on the contempt case brought before it by a private citizen against the Electoral Commission (EC) regarding the EC's recently concluded limited voter registration drive.
In response to the recent nationwide exercise, Ms. Precious Ayitah, a resident of Otsebleku in the Greater Accra Region, filed a lawsuit against three members of the commission: Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the EC, and two deputy chairs, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey.
The parties in the case were ordered by the court, which was presided over by Justice Patricia Quansah, to submit their written arguments by November 16, 2023.
The EC Chairperson and the two deputy chairmen, were both present in court for going ahead with the limited registration exercise at the various EC district offices, despite an injunction filed at the court, aimed at impressing on the commission to suspend the exercise.
Ms. Ayitah believed that the motion on notice and interlocutory injunction, which was delivered to the respondents on September 8, 2023, was intended to prevent the EC from carrying out the limited registration exercise in the commission's district offices. Despite this, the EC carried out the exercise.
She said the action of the EC was “contemptuous” which should not go unpunished by a custodial sentence.
The limited voter registration exercise by the EC ended on Monday, October 2, across all the 268 district offices of the commission.
The exercise, which was intended for eligible Ghanaians to vote, is a part of the EC's preparations for the general election in 2024.
The registration process gave Ghanaians who had reached adulthood since the previous registration in 2020, as well as those who were over 18 but, for a variety of reasons, were unable to register during the 2020 registration exercise, the chance to do so.
The initial aim for the EC was 1.35 million registrations, however this was reduced to 800,000.
Approximately 673,276 additional voters have been registered by the commission in the 16 days since the exercise began, and it expressed optimism that it will reach the revised goal.
Political parties and several individuals were unhappy with the exercise.
By Dzifa Tetteh Tay|Ghanaiantimes|Ghana|Tema
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