Ernest Norgbey and his lawyer

The Adentan High Court has dismissed a case filed against the Electoral Commission’s (EC) voters’ registration exercise set to come off on Tuesday, June 30.

Lawyers for Ashaiman Member of Parliament, Ernest Norgbey tried to make a last-minute request to the High Court to injunct the EC’s registration of voters.

They maintained the Supreme Court’s decision allowing the exercise to go ahead in compliance with C.I 126 cannot be adequate on lawful basis.

They said C.I 126 does not provide for the compilation of a new register.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, on June 25 held that the EC can go ahead with the exercise in compliance with C.1 126.

But Dr Abdul Baasit Bamba, who represented the MP, said the case filed at the Adentan High Court is a Judicial Review which is asking the High Court to rule that C.I 126 which he amended to C.1 91 does not give the EC the power to compile a new register.

He told JoyNews’ court correspondent Joseph Ackah-Blay in an interview that the EC could not go ahead without a resolution of the case.

Deputy Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame in an earlier interview with JoyNews said the case will not stop the EC from carrying out the exercise.

Dr Bamba, however, disagreed with the view. He argued the Deputy Attorney-General was not a party to his case. 

On Monday morning Dr Bamba informed the court he wanted to withdraw the application for an injunction.

He, however, argued the substantive matter must be heard because it is not similar to the case which was determined by the court.

He insisted the court could not apply the decision of the Supreme Court when it does not even have access to the reasoned judgement.

It would be recalled that the Apex court indicated that the full written judgement will be available on July 15.

Lawyers for the EC, led by Justin Amenuvor, urged the court to dismiss the case insisting that the Supreme Court had ruled on the matter.

The court, presided over by Justice Enyonam Adinyira, dismissed the case holding that the issues raised were determined by the Apex court.

This brings to an end three legal hurdles the EC had to surmount ahead of the registration exercise.

Dr Bamba told pressmen they still look forward to having access to the decision of the Supreme Court hinting they may still challenge the new register even after compilation.