The Supreme Court has described the nation’s electoral register as “reasonably inaccurate” barely six months to a major presidential and parliamentary elections in November.
The apex court made the statement in its ruling today [Thursday], in a case brought before it by a former National Youth Organizer of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Abu Ramadan and one Evans Nimako, who were challenging the credibility of the voters’ register.
The two, who filed the case in December 2015 sought among others a declaration that the 2012 voters’ register which contains the names of persons who have not established qualification to be registered is inconsistent with Article 42 and 45 (a) is unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect.
[contextly_sidebar id=”JQ6xvJOKBdyhcwZCom5zGU41N0ZL9erH”]They also sought an order setting aside the 2012 voters’ register and an instruction to the Electoral Commission to compile a fresh voters’ register before any new public election or referendum is conducted in the country.
But the Supreme Court in its ruling on Thursday ordered the Electoral Commission to expunge from the current voters’ register the names of all persons who registered and voted in the 2012 elections, with the National Health Insurance card as a proof of identity.
The court, presided over by Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, also ordered the Commission to take steps to re-register the persons whose names would be deleted in the process by ensuring that they use the authorized process to get their names back onto the electoral roll.
Generally, the ruling asked the Commission to clean the register.
Abu Ramadan’s lawyer, Nana Asante Bediatuo in an interview said the Supreme stated that, persons “who used NHIS cards to register whose names are still on the voters’ register makes the register not reasonably accurate or credible.”
“The court also said that the presence of deceased persons including minors even though we did not include minors are on the register, also makes it not reasonably accurate or credible. With respect to the presence of people using the NHIS card, the court also said that it couldn’t tell the percentage of people [who used such as identity to register] in order to determine whether it completely tainted the entire register but they do found that, to the extent that they remain on the register, it will not make the register accurate or credible.”
Stop registering NHIS card holders
The Supreme Court a year ago ruled that the National Health Insurance card (NHIS) does not qualify anyone to be registered as a voter following a suit filed by Abu Ramadan.
Aliens on voters register
The ruling comes after the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its allied groups piled intense pressure on the EC to compile a new electoral roll before the November polls.
The NPP had argued that the current register is bloated with names of foreigners and minors hence unfit for the upcoming polls; but the Electoral Commission turned down the request describing it as “unconvincing.”
It has further decided to audit the register instead of compiling a new one.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin