EC boss wants C.I 75 amended by Parliament

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Category: Elections & Governance

Created on Wednesday, 18 June 2014 00:00

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EC boss wants C.I 75 amended by Parliament

The chairman of the Electoral Commission has called on Parliament to amend the law regulating elections in the country to address what he says are challenges with the process.

The EC chairman Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, according to information available to Joy News, wants CI 75 to be amended after members of Parliament raised concerns with the biometric voting system at a closed door meeting with the EC boss in Parliament.

The introduction of the C.I. 75 was as a result of emerging challenges in the country’s electoral system, some of which include: registration and voting by unqualified persons; multiple registrations, and multiple voting.

However, one of the reforms introduced to address the issues was the introduction of the biometric registration system which came into force in March 2012 through the passage of the Public Elections (Regulations of Voters) Regulations, 2012 (C.I.72).

With the introduction of the biometric registration system, there was the need for the EC to make new regulations; hence the introduction of C.I.75 to replace the old C.I.15.

Section 30 (1) of the C.I.75 requires that a presiding officer, before issuing a ballot paper to a person to vote, it should be established by fingerprint or facial recognition that the person is the true bearer of the document to be used.

But the EC encountered some challenges during the 2012 election when the biometric machine failed to recognize some eligible voters, and with the no verification no vote, the situation got tensed at some polling centers.

Indeed the decision to go to court by the NPP was in part premised on the verification issues.

Members of Parliament therefore demanded from the EC boss steps being taken to address these challenges ahead of the 2016 elections.

Joy News’ parliamentary correspondent Elton John Brobbey gathered that some legislators have suggested once a person is duly registered but is unrecognized by the machine, there should be a mechanism for people around to identify the person so he can vote - the current law frowns on this.

The EC boss said Parliament must take steps to amend the CI 75 to take on board the concerns by the house, Elton reported his sources as saying.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission is looking forward to organize an inter-party advisory committee meeting to consider the Supreme Court’s recommendation in the landmark election petition.

Source: Myjoyonline.com