ELECTION PETITION: Supreme Court Throws Out EC’s Request

The Supreme Court has thrown out the request by the Electoral Commission (EC), the second respondent in the presidential election petition, praying the court to vary its orders in a petition challenging the legitimacy of President John Dramani Mahama.

In a motion on notice filed on behalf of the EC by its solicitors, Lynes Quashie-Idun and Co, the EC had urged the court to vary its April 2, 2013 order which directed respondents in the petition to file their written affidavits within five days from the service of petitioners’ affidavits on them.

Rather, the EC prayed the court to review its order by directing it (EC) to file its written response “within five days from the close of the petitioners’ case”.

What the EC had requested the court to do was allow it and other respondents to file their evidence in the form of written affidavits after the petitioners have closed their case in the trial, which is set to begin on April 16, 2013.

But the nine-member Supreme Court panel, unanimously agreed that the EC’s request lacked merit and threw it out.

More soon…