Voter's Register: NDC Drags EC To Court

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sued the Electoral Commission (EC) over the latter’s decision to reopen the voters’ register.

The party argues that the Commission has not published in the gazette the 21 days’ notice of the planned exercise to the political parties and the general public.

“A declaration that the Electoral Commission has acted ultra vires in its attempt to reopen and/or conduct registration of voters scheduled for Thursday 1st October 2020 when the Electoral Commission has not caused to be published in the Gazette, twenty-one (21) days' notice of this voters registration to the political parties and the general public;” the NDC averred in its statement of claim.

The NDC said the EC has acted beyond its powers in its attempt to reopen the voter’s register a second time for those who could not register in the first exercise to do so.

The EC has scheduled October 1, 2020 , for a second round of registration for some groups of people who are ye to get registered to do so.

Those the EC said were to participate in the exercise are voters who were outside the country due to COVID-19 restrictions, those who were under a 14-day mandatory quarantine and could not take part in the mass voter registration, and eligible voters who were duly issued voter ID cards but whose names are missing from the register under exhibition.

But the NDC is challenging the EC’s decision.

It wants the court to grant an injunction on the EC restraining it from reopening the voters register without first gazetting it.

— citinewsroom