EC Restrained From Proceeding With Voters’ Registration Exercise On Tuesday

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has been restrained from commencing the limited voters’ registration exercise on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

This comes after five political parties including the National Democratic Congress (NDC) filed a joint interlocutory injunction against the Commission over its decision to restrict the registration exercise to its District offices.

The EC last month announced the exercise will begin in the second week of September at its 268 District Offices.

This meant that all Ghanaians who have turned 18 years old or voters who have lost their voters’ ID cards or wish to transfer their votes will have to go to any of the district offices of the EC to have it done.

This however has been opposed by the NDC first through a petition to the EC and now in a joint legal action.

The five political parties including the Convention People’s Party (CPP), All People’s Congress (APC), Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) and Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) want the exercise undertaken in electoral areas.

They argue the EC’s decision to restrict the registration to district offices will deprive many eligible voters of their right to be registered and to subsequently vote in upcoming elections.

In a statement announcing the court action, the National Communication Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi said the parties have “filed an Application for Interlocutory Injunction to restrain the EC from proceeding with the announced limited voter registration exercise…pending the final determination of the substantive matter. “

This, he said, was the first of a series of actions to compel the EC to succumb to their demand.

“This is only the first of a series of actions that the parties intend to take to compel the EC to conduct the impending limited voter registration exercise at the electoral area level to give all eligible voters access to the process in line with the letter and spirit of Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution, Regulation 2(1)(2) of C.I 91 and the EC’s own time-tested practices.”