Supreme Court to rule on referendum on creation of new regions

The Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously dismissed a contempt application filed against the Attorney General, the Electoral Commissioner and her two Deputies for organising the recent limited voter registration exercise in the proposed six new Regions.

It however reserved its reasons to a later date.

It has also set November 28 to rule on the substantive issue brought before it by three citizens who are against the limitations of the referendum to be held to determine the proposed regions in only the areas to be affected.

The Seven-Member panel chaired by Justice Sophia Adinyira included Justices Jones Douse, Anin Yeboah, Samuel K Marful-Sau, Agnnes M. Dzodze, Nenne A Amegatcher and Prof. Nii Ashe Kotey.

The three citizens who filed the writ are Mayor Agbleze, Destiny Awlimey and Jean-Claude Ocloo Amenyaglo who on September 12, 2018, challenged the government’s decision to limit the referendum for the creation of six new regions to only the affected areas.

In a suit filed by their lawyer, Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, the trio are praying the apex court to place an interlocutory injunction on the proposed referendum which is scheduled for December 27, 2018, until the final determination of the suit.

The plaintiffs invoked the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to interpret portions of the 1992 Constitution with respect to the holding of referenda in the country.