[ 2016-11-15 ]

EC apologises to Supreme Court
The Electoral Commission (EC) has apologized to
the Supreme Court over the absence of any of the
Commission members in court on November 9, when
the writ to compel the EC to declare results on
Special Voting commenced.

Mr Amadu Sulley, EC Deputy Chairman in Charge of
Operations, who rendered the apology said: “it
was not intentional. We are sorry. My Lords, this
would not happen again”.

Mr Sulley said this after the highest court of the
land had dismissed the suit over Special Voting in
Accra on Monday.

He said he had spoken to the Commission's lawyer,
Mr Sean Poku to apologize for the absence of the
Commission’s members in court.

On November 9, this year, a seven member panel of
the Supreme Court registered their displeasure
over the absence of the seven Commission members
in court.

The Court noted that the commission member’s
non-appearance connoted a “share gross
disrespect” to the Court, adding that if any of
them were present, they would have assisted the
Court with answers relating to the matter.

“You must give respect to the judiciary by
making your presence felt in court, we know you
have been busy but you can assign any of the
Directors to represent you in court” Justice
Jones Dotse said.

The Court presided over by Justice William Atuguba
wanted to know whether there were countries that
had practiced earlier, special or advance voting
and whether or not the counting had been done the
same day votes were cast or suspended until polls
were closed.

Other members on the panel were Justice Anin
Yeboah, Justice Jones Victor Dotse, Justice Ampah
Benin, Justice Yaw Appau and Justice Gabriel
Pwamang.

They also wanted to know how and where these
ballot were kept adding the Attorney General did
not conduct elections and would, therefore, not
know all issues relating to elections.

According to the court in the case of Abu Ramadan
verses the EC, some of the Commission members were
in court and when they needed clarification, Mr
Thaddeus Sory, who represented the EC, consulted
them and the matters were resolved.

The Supreme Court also sought for clarity as to
whether the venues for the Special Voting were
part of the 29,000 voting centres and whether
ballots cast at these centres were added to those
in the various constituencies that voting took
place.

Dr Kwame Amoako-Tuffuor, a member of the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) and two others proceeded to
the highest court of the land to seek an order to
compel the Commission to announce results of
special voting on the same day it was held.

Dr Amoako-Tuffuor and the other plaintiffs,
Benjamin Arthur and Adreba Abrefa Damoa contended
that security operatives and persons who would
usually be working on the Election Day partake in
the special voting.

Source - GNA

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