Police secure court order to stop NDC's limited voter registration demo

The Police have secured a court order restraining the National Democratic Congress from embarking on a demonstration exercise against the Electoral Commission’s limited voter registration exercise.

The NDC in the Ashanti Region had served notice of protesting against the EC’s registration exercise on Monday, June 3, 2019.

About one million Ghanaians according to the NDC would be disenfranchised if the EC is allowed to undertake the limited voters’ registration exercise at the district level and selected electoral areas.

But the police say the NDC’s protest has to be rescheduled as a result of “logistics challenges of the Police” due to the Ramadan celebrations as Muslims in the country are expected to end their fast a day after the scheduled date for the protest.

The court order signed by Justice of the High Court, Senyo Amedahe, further asked the Police to within 14 days engage the respondents in a meeting to reschedule the demonstrations after the Ramadan celebration.

“The respondents are hereby prohibited from engaging on the scheduled protest and demonstration against the Electoral Commission, Kumasi on the 3rd of June 2019 as a result of logistics challeges of the Police during this year’s Ramadan period. It is the opinion of this court that the constitutional right to go on a protest or a demonstration is enjoined with the right to Police protection.”

“It is hereby ordered that the applicant shall with 14 days from today engage the respondents in a meeting to re-schedule their demonstration after the Ramadan festivities,” the court’s restraining order read.

The Ashanti Regional Wing of the NDC earlier on Friday said it might embark on a demonstration on Monday.

Speaking with Citi News, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, Kwame Zu said the EC’s method in the upcoming limited registration exercise is an attempt to deliberately disenfranchise communities where the NDC has a stronghold.

“We have expressed many concerns to the Electoral Commission and it appears their posture appears they are unfazed.”

“The last resort we had was to demonstrate our displeasure in the form of a peaceful procession Godwilling on the 3rd of June but we are convening a meeting to take a decision as to whether the demonstration will come on Monday or otherwise. But that is literally not dependent on the position of the Police to thwart the process,” he added.

Source: citifmonline.com