EC hit with a third lawsuit over voters register

The Electoral Commission has been sued again over its decision to compile an electoral roll – the third of such a legal challenge over the controversial matter.

The latest lawsuit has been filed by the Member of Parliament for Ashaiman Constituency, Ernest Nogbey, and is praying the Accra Court to give an order that the Electoral Commission does not have the mandate to compile a new register.

Two suits have already been filed against the Commission over the matter.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and one Mr Mark Takyi-Banson, a private citizen, have both gone to court seeking to stop the EC from going ahead with an ongoing process to compile a new electoral roll for the December 2020 general elections.

While the NDC and Mr Takyi-Banson have gone to the Supreme Court, the latest lawsuit has been filed at the Accra High Court.

The NDC and Mr Takyi-Banson are praying the Supreme Court to exercise its power of interpretation and enforcement to compel the Electoral Commission not to compile a new register.

They also want the apex court to cause the EC to allow the use of voters ID card and birth certificate, if the court allows the EC to do so, as proof of identification.

The latest case filed by Mr Norgbey is seeking a judicial review and is asking the High Court to restrain the EC from undertaking the exercise.

The legislator also wants the High Court to rule that the current voters register until revoked by a law passed by Parliament, is the only register that can be used for the conduct of the 2020 election.

The two previous lawsuits have been slated for hearing on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, and the new case filed by Mr Norgbey is due at the High Court on Monday, June 29.