[ 2016-08-27 ]

EC warned against ending Continuous Voter Registration exercise
The Vice Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation
Committee of Parliament has cautioned the
Electoral Commission (EC) against plans to end the
Continuous Voter Registration Exercise on
Saturday, August 27.

Kofi Osei Ameyaw says it would be a violation of
the country’s Electoral Laws.

The exercise, which is aimed at providing eligible
voters, the opportunity to either register anew,
or get their details verified kick-started on
August 19 of this month and is ending today.

But Mr Osei Ameyaw has warned the EC against
ending the exercise saying the EC would be
committing an illegality if it goes ahead with
such.

"How can something that is said to be continuous
and then end? We should check the regulations
because once the parties have consented to the
Continuous Voter Registration it cannot stop until
two months to elections," he said.

Furthermore, he argued that the laws states that
two months to election the registration should not
stop adding those who come two months to the
election can only voter in the next public
election.

"So I don't see why the EC can deprive citizens
from entering the register when it is not two
months to the lection," he maintained.

But Head of Communication at the Electoral
Commission, Eric Dzakpasu tells Joy News the
processes that the EC would have to undertake in
the lead-up to the election makes it almost
impossible for the exercise to continue.

"Registration is a process, you capture the data,
print, exhibit the register before preparing a
final register for the elections....when you do
the calculation there is no way you can continue
capturing only data 60 days before the election,"
Mr Dzakpasu said. ​

"The exhibition is part of the registration
process...to be within time this is the time you
stop registration and continue with the other
processes," he added.

Source - Myjoyonline.com

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