The Supreme Court will today decide the fate of 56,000 persons whose names were captured on the electoral register using the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card, as proof of Ghanaian citizenship ahead of the 2012 elections.
The Electoral Commission last Thursday presented the list of NHIS registrants to the court but former National Youth Organizer of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Abu Ramadan, who filed an application seeking further clarification on the court’s May 5 ruling rejected it describing it as “spurious.”
The Supreme Court further dared Abu Ramadan and his counsel to provide the accurate list if they have. Meanwhile, Abu Ramadan on Monday presented an application challenging the list, however, the Supreme Court will give its judgment on the matter today [Tuesday].
Background
The apex court on May 5 2016, asked the Electoral Commission to expunge from the current voters’ register the names of all persons who registered and voted in the 2012 elections, with the NHIS card as a proof of identity.
The ruling followed a suit filed by Abu Ramadan, and one, Evans Nimako, who in 2014 won a lawsuit that barred the use of NHIS cards for registration of potential voters.
The two, among other reliefs, wanted the current register declared inappropriate for the November polls. But the EC after studying the ruling said it’s understanding did not suggest the use of any new process to delete the names of those who registered with NHIS cards, since there are already laid down procedures for expunging ineligible names.
The EC’s explanation however angered Mr. Ramadan who felt the Commission was disrespecting the explicit orders of the court.
His position was further strengthened when one of the judges who gave the May 5 ruling, stated categorically that the ruling was clear and unambiguous and that the EC must remove the names of persons who registered with the NHIS card.
He subsequently got the Supreme Court to issue the six-day ultimatum to the Commission.
No comments:
Post a Comment