A professor of constitutional law, Prof. H.K Prempeh, has blamed the Supreme Court for the Electoral Commission’s delay in implementing the electoral reforms recommended after last year’s election petition ruling.
The Supreme Court, in 2013, dismissed an application by the New Patriotic Party, challenging the EC’s declaration of the NDC’s John Dramani Mahama as the legitimate winner of the 2012 Presidential elections.
Supreme court announces Mahama as legitimate winner of the 2012 Presidential elections
Speaking at a forum organized by policy Think Tank, Imani Ghana on Friday to mark the first anniversary of the election petition verdict, Mr. Prempeh argued that, “the court’s judgement failed to bring clarity or certainty in how our elections must be conducted.”
He also believed the court should have “outlined a procedure to mount a successful petition in court in the event of a future disputed election.”
Dr. Afari Gyan (EC Chairman): Prof. Prempeh says the Electoral Commission not to blame for the electoral reforms delay
According to Mr. Prempeh, the majority judgement in the election petition case, which he described as being “of dubious value,” failed to answer questions which could be relevant to the conduct of future elections.
“Are presiding officers legally bound to sing the pink sheet?” he queried
“Is a re-run of the election between the contending parties the only permissible remedy in an election petition or may the court order drastic remedies like a re-count or a re-vote in the constituency? These are the questions that the parties and candidates would like to know.Unfortunately, these are the questions the Supreme Court failed to answer,” he added.
Meanwhile a former head of the Ghana Institute of Management and Professional Administration, (GIMPA), Prof. Steven Addai, says Ghana must abide by signed treaties regarding international electoral processes.
Prof. Addae believes that the results from every polling station should be “projected unto a public screen and not only on the internet.”
“I remember in 1969, that was done. And that was almost 45 years ago,”, he said.
According to him, the system which is practiced in other African countries, should be implemented as it might improve the transparency of the polls.
“As soon as the results are counted they must be projected unto a public screen.
“If it is not done, “then there is a deliberate connival to rig the elections.”
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana