Journalist Association suit against EC over accreditation dismissed

A case filed by the International Standards Journalist Association (ISJA) against the Electoral Commission over media accreditation fees has been dismissed by an Accra High Court.

Justice Gifty Agyei Addo dismissed the case based on an application filed by the lawyer for the EC, Thaddeus Sory that the group had failed to appropriately invoke the court's jurisdiction.

She awarded a cost of Ghc 3,000 cedis against the group.

The ISJA filed the suit after the EC announced its intention to charge accreditation fees from journalists who would cover the December 7 elections.

The group had said the Commission’s demand for payment of money as a condition for the issuing of accreditation tag constitutes discrimination against journalists.

Reporting from court, Joy News' Ackah-Blay said the EC's legal cousel Thaddeus Sory had argued that the complainant should have come to the court through an application not a writ of summons.

This is because the suit is one that deals with fundamental human rights, Mr. Sory explained. He also said the ISJA is not a registered company.

After the dismissal of the case on Tuesday, the group, however, filed a fresh suit at the High Court seeking to restrain the EC from charging accreditation fees for coverage of next week's polls.

The hearing of the new case will be heard on Wednesday, November 30.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | AA