The Supreme Court has decided to consolidate two cases before it in which the Electoral Commission (EC) has been sued over the use of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card as a form of identity in the forthcoming limited voter registration exercise.
In the first case, one Kwasi Danso Acheampong is suing the EC, with the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana and the Attorney-General joined to the suit, while the National Youth Organiser of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Abu Ramadan, in his personal capacity, is suing the EC and the Attorney-General with one Evans Nimako.
Same case
However, when the two cases were called yesterday, the Supreme Court, presided over by the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Woode, said the two cases were substantially the same, therefore, the decision to consolidate them.
Other members of the seven panel justices were Mrs Justice Sophia Adinyirah, Mr Justice Jones Dotse, Mr Justice Anin Yeboah, Mr Justice Nasiru Sulley Gbadegbe, Mr Justice Albert A. Benin and Mr Justice J.B. Akamba.
None of the parties in the suit objected to the consolidation of the two cases but the Bench decided to hold off the consolidation pending the filing of responses by the EC, through its lawyer, Mr James Quarshie Idun, who moved the court for time to file a statement of case to the writ by Mr Abu Ramadan.
The Attorney-General, represented by Mr William Kpobi, Chief State Attorney, also prayed the court for time to file a response to the case of Mr Kwasi Danso Acheampong.
24-hour deadline
The court, therefore, granted them 24 hours within which to file their responses for the substantive case to be heard on Thursday, July 24, 2014.
Mr Acheampong did not object to the 24-hour time given to the EC subject to the condition that the commission would not start the registration until the final determination of the matter.
Counsel for Mr Abu Ramadan and Evans Nimako, Nana Asante Bediatuo, had intended arguing an interlocutory injunction against the EC in view of the commission’s decision to commence registration from Friday, July 25, 2014.
Timeous judgement
Justice Georgina Woode gave the assurance that ruling would be given on Thursday while their reasons would be reserved.
Earlier, Mr Kwasi Danso Acheampong had told the court of the inability of the court bailiff to serve summons on Parliament, which, according to him, was joined to the suit by nature of the fact that it was Parliament that passed the legislation which had brought the matter to court.
But after interactions between him and the Bench, Mr Acheampong asked for Parliament to be struck out of the case, saying since Parliament had not been served and more so, when it was not a necessary party to the case, its name should be struck out.
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