The Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) asking the court to review its decision to allow the mass voters registration exercise to be conducted.
In a unanimous decision Thursday, a nine-member review panel, presided over by the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, dismissed the application on the basis that the NDC failed to meet the criteria for review.
According to the court, the application did not raise any new argument, neither it did involve any exceptional circumstances for the court to review its decision.
Drama
The case was however without drama with lawyer for the NDC, Mr Tsatsu Tskitaka, refusing to move the review application.
The NDC after filing the review application also filed for abridgment of time for the case to be heard earlier.
The Supreme Court granted the request for abridgment of time , but when the case was called Mr Tsikata asked the court to give him more time to move the review application.
According to him, he needed more time to respond to the arguments filed by the Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General and also file additional documents.
The court, however, said that it had read the review application and was of the view it had no merit as it does not meet the criteria for review.
It was accordingly dismissed.
Background
On June 26, the Supreme Court declared as lawful the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to use the Ghana Card and the Ghanaian passport as the only identification documents that would allow a Ghanaian to register in the upcoming mass voters registration exercise.
The court, therefore, dismissed two legal actions that were seeking the inclusion of an existing voter identification (ID) card and a birth certificate as part of the identification documents.
The first suit seeking the inclusion of an existing voter ID card was filed by the biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), while the second one seeking the inclusion of the birth certificate was filed by one Mr Mark Takyi-Banson, in his capacity as a Ghanaian.
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