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Precious Ayitah, an 18-year-old voter, is trying to hold the Electoral Commission accountable for limiting voter registration to its District Offices. However, her attempt to obtain an injunction against the EC Chairpersons was denied due to improper service.
The EC Boss, Mrs. Jean Mensa, and her two deputies, Dr. Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey, are being held in contempt of court by the resident of Otsebleku near Afienya, who filed a lawsuit on September 12 demanding that they stop the Limited Registration Exercise despite her request for an injunction to halt it.
In an attempt to register as a voter for the first time, Precious Ayitah filed a human rights application at the High Court, arguing that the EC’s decision to restrict voter registration to the Commission’s district offices would make it extremely difficult for her to do so.
Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, the applicant’s attorney, claims that the EC’s action restricted her ability to register and vote, which is guaranteed by Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution. As a result, the court ought to uphold her constitutional rights under Articles 33 and 140.
The applicant included in her case an application for an injunction, requesting that the court issue an order compelling the EC to suspend the registration process pending the outcome of her substantive case.
Ayitah claims in her contempt petition that the EC’s choice to move forward with the registration process will jeopardize her request for an injunction and have an immediate impact on the administration of justice. The petitioner claims that the EC’s action was disrespectful and that the commission’s top officials ought to be disciplined as a result.
She claimed that the responders should receive a jail sentence or worse for tarnishing the reputation of the legal system.
It will be remembered, nevertheless, that court bailiffs were stopped by security guards from delivering court documents to the EC commissioners.
According to rumors, security guards at the EC’s headquarters, which are next to the Kofi Annan ICT Center close to parliament, have been given orders to prevent anyone from entering until the week of September 18.
Ayitah claims that because she lived far from the EC’s district office, she lacked the transportation necessary to get from her home to the registration center in order to participate in the exercise in the substantive action seeking the implementation of her human rights.
In her opinion, the EC should have conducted an exercise in her voting district to broaden its scope. In light of this, the applicant is asking the High Court to declare that the EC’s choice to restrict voter registration to its district offices violated her fundamental human rights, which are protected by Articles 23, 33, 42, 45(e), 46, 140, and 296 of the 1992 Constitution.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
