Ayitah Precious, a resident of Otsebleku near Afienya in the Greater Accra Region, has taken legal action against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, and Deputy Chairman Bossman Asare, alleging contempt of court in the ongoing limited voter registration dispute.
In a sworn affidavit, Ayitah Precious, the applicant, made several claims regarding the limited voter registration exercise and the response of the Electoral Commission.
The affidavit outlined the following; “the Electoral Commission had announced the commencement of the limited voter registration exercise on September 12, 2023, at its district offices across the country.
“Ayitah Precious resides approximately 44.3 kilometers from the Electoral Commission’s district office in Prampram and expressed concerns about the cost and logistics of traveling to the district office to register.”
The applicant argued that the decision to conduct the limited registration exercise solely at district offices rather than existing electoral areas would prevent many eligible voters, including herself, from participating.
Ayitah Precious filed an originating motion on notice in the High Court in Tema and an interlocutory injunction application to restrain the Electoral Commission from proceeding with the limited voter registration exercise.
Despite serving the injunction application on the Electoral Commission, the institution continued with preparations for the registration exercise, issuing a press release on September 11, 2023, confirming the exercise’s start date.
The applicant’s legal counsel contended that the actions of the Electoral Commission, proceeding with the registration exercise while the injunction application was pending, constituted contempt of court.
Ayitah Precious and her legal team argued that the actions of the Electoral Commission could jeopardize the outcome of the court proceedings and interfere with the administration of justice.
They urged the court to hold Jean Mensa and Bossman Asare in contempt and seek custodial prison sentences as a remedy.
Source: ghanaweb.com
